Major mechanisms of the tumour–stroma interplay in cancer progression. This illustration depicts major mechanisms in tumour progression involving either cancer cells (blue), stroma cells (red) or both (red/blue), all at some point being connected to cell migration. During tumour progression, cancer and stroma cells undergo a close mutual interaction with each other through continuous growth factor signalling. This shapes the tumour microenvironment and induces hypoxia and cellular oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, angiogenesis and ECM production/remodelling. The contributions of TRP channel families and STIM/ORAI proteins to different aspects of the cancer–stroma interplay underlying tumour invasion and metastasis are indicated.