Fig. 2
From: Tumor-stromal crosstalk in pancreatic cancer and tissue fibrosis
Possible mechanisms involved in pancreatic cancer metastasis and fibrosis: Perpetuation of pancreatic stellate cells activation by cytokines/chemokines/growth factors mediated mechanisms results in pancreatic fibrosis with aberrant desmoplasia. Alterations in the epithelial cell phenotype, or EMT, may be driven by tumorigenic signal pathways that are consequently activated during desmoplastic reactions. In response to EMT driving signals, tumor cells in the invasive front enter into the circulation and metastasize to distant sites