The journey of cancer development is a multifaceted and staged process. The array of treatments available for cancer varies significantly, dictated by the disease's type and stage. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), prevalent across various cancer types and stages, play a pivotal role in tumor genesis, progression, metastasis, and drug resistance. The strategy of concurrently targeting cancer cells and CAFs holds great promise in cancer therapy. In this review, we focus intently on CAFs, delving into their critical role in cancer's progression. We begin by exploring the origins, classification, and surface markers of CAFs. Following this, we emphasize the key cytokines and signaling pathways involved in the interplay between cancer cells and CAFs and their influence on the tumor immune microenvironment. Additionally, we examine current therapeutic approaches targeting CAFs. This article underscores the multifarious roles of CAFs within the tumor microenvironment and their potential applications in cancer treatment, highlighting their importance as key targets in overcoming drug resistance and enhancing the efficacy of tumor therapies.

癌症的发展历程是一个多方面、分阶段的过程。根据疾病的类型和阶段，可用于癌症的治疗方法有很大差异。癌症相关成纤维细胞（CAF）普遍存在于各种癌症类型和阶段，在肿瘤发生、进展、转移和耐药性中发挥着关键作用。同时靶向癌细胞和 CAF 的策略在癌症治疗中具有广阔的前景。在这篇综述中，我们重点关注 CAF，深入研究它们在癌症进展中的关键作用。我们首先探讨 CA​​F 的起源、分类和表面标记。接下来，我们强调癌细胞和 CAF 之间相互作用的关键细胞因子和信号通路及其对肿瘤免疫微环境的影响。此外，我们还研究了当前针对 CAF 的治疗方法。本文强调了 CAF 在肿瘤微环境中的多种作用及其在癌症治疗中的潜在应用，强调了它们作为克服耐药性和增强肿瘤治疗功效的关键靶标的重要性。