Characterization and Radiation Response of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts isolated from Glioblastoma

Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive brain tumor with poor prognosis and strong resistance to radiotherapy. While cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are known in epithelial cancers, their presence in GBM has only recently been identified. In this study we isolated GBM-derived CAFs and confirmed their identity with specific markers. After irradiation (4-6 Gy), these CAFs showed no morphological or phenotypic changes and maintained viability, demonstrating radioresistance. The results indicate that CAFs may play a key role in GBM's resistance to treatment, underlining the need for further research on their role in radiotherapy failure.