Panoramic tumor microenvironment in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is notorious for its resistance to various treatment modalities. The genetic heterogeneity of PDAC, coupled with the presence of a desmoplastic stroma within the tumor microenvironment (TME), contributes to an unfavorable prognosis. The mechanisms and consequences of interactions among different cell types, along with spatial variations influencing cellular function, potentially play a role in the pathogenesis of PDAC. Understanding the diverse compositions of the TME and elucidating the functions of microscopic neighborhoods may contribute to understanding the immune microenvironment status in pancreatic cancer. As we delve into the spatial biology of the microscopic neighborhoods within the TME, aiding in deciphering the factors that orchestrate this intricate ecosystem. This overview delineates the fundamental constituents and the structural arrangement of the PDAC microenvironment, highlighting their impact on cancer cell biology. center dot Cancer cells' intrinsic traits shape the microenvironment, causing dynamic changes in genetic and phenotypic features as the tumor grows and spreads.center dot Exploring how cellular components and molecular features impact cancer biology warrants further investigation into the intricate interactions within the TME center dot The spatial relationships between individual cellular and acellular components in PDAC hold the potential to provide novel insights into the dynamic and complex functions of PDAC desmoplasia,center dot Intratumoral sub-TMEs exhibit distinct regional immune compositions, and typical spatial subregion-TLS highlight the spatial heterogeneity of the TME