Figure 1.

Direct interaction between cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and cancer cells promotes cancer cell invasion. CAFs and SGC cells indirectly interact via paracrine signaling mediated by soluble factors and exosomes. This interaction induces phenotypic changes in both the cell types, which in turn trigger cancer cell invasion. Through paracrine signaling, the two cell types attract each other, leading to a direct physical interaction that may be mediated by cell-surface adhesion molecules. This direct interaction may cause further changes in both cell types, resulting in a more efficient CAF-led cancer cell invasion.