A Conserved Fibroblast-Myeloid Gene Signature in Digestive Cancers: Multi-Omics Integration Identifies DCN, COL10A1, CTHRC1, and TREM2 as Candidate Microenvironmental Markers

is enriched in myeloid cells and, to a lesser extent, in antigen-presenting CAFs(apCAFs). Cell-cell communication analysis consistently identified a fibroblast-to-myeloid signaling network centered on ECM-CD44 interactions across all examined cancer types, providing a candidate framework for intercellular crosstalk. Multi-omics profiling further characterized the genomic, epigenetic, and immune correlates of this signature. Collectively, these findings identify a conserved stromal-myeloid gene signature across digestive cancers and provide a candidate gene set for future diagnostic and therapeutic exploration.