Non-small cell lung cancer cells and concomitant cancer therapy induce a resistance-promoting phenotype of tumor-associated mesenchymal stem cells

The tumor microenvironment gained attraction over the last decades as stromal cells significantly impact on tumor development, progression and metastasis, and immune evasion as well as on cancer therapy resistance. We previously reported that lung-resident mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were mobilized and activated in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) progression and could even mediate radiation resistance in co-cultured NSCLC cells.