Figure 1.

Disruption of balance between tumor epithelia and stroma is a possible therapeutic approach for pancreatic cancer. (A1) Stromal components, especially activated pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs), are able to inhibit the occurrence and progression of pancreatic cancer. (B1) Abundant PSCs promote tumor metastasis. (C) There seem to be a balance between the tumor epithelia and stroma in the tumor development process; once the balance is undermined, the tumor traits may undergo certain changes. (A2, B2) Corrupting of balance between tumor epithelial and stroma, instead of blindly inhibiting the stroma or simply maintaining stroma activation, will destroy the cooperation or promote the competition and antagonism among cells.