Stromal signals dominate gene expression signature scores that aim to describe cancer cell-intrinsic stemness or mesenchymality characteristics

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cancer cells confers migratory abilities, a crucial aspect in the metastasis of tumors that frequently leads to death. In multiple studies authors proposed gene expression signatures for EMT, stemness, or mesenchymality of tumors based on bulk tumor expression profiling. However, recent studies suggested that non-cancerous cells from the micro- or macroenvironment (TME) heavily influence such signature profiles. Here, we strengthen these findings …