Yinuo Jin

Abstract Across many solid tumor types, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are abundant and heterogeneous, with distinct subpopulations exerting immunomodulatory functions. Here we identify a novel population of immunomodulatory CAFs (imCAFs) in primary lung adenocarcinoma and pulmonary metastases, characterized by cell adhesion molecule L1-like (CHL1) expression and enriched in immune regulation and chemokine signaling programs.

1 Introduction According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, nearly 20 million new cancer cases and 9.7 million deaths occurred worldwide in 2022, with lung cancer ranking first among all malignancies [1]. In China, the cancer burden is particularly severe, with 4.825 million new cases and over 2.574 million deaths in 2022 [2]. The brain is the most common metastatic site of lung cancer, significantly affecting neurological function and survival prognosis [3].