Mesenchymal stem cells in lung cancer tumor microenvironment: their biological properties, influence on tumor growth and therapeutic implications

•MSCs in lung cancer represent genetic and phenotypic abnormalities.•MSCs influence the growth, metastasis and drug resistance of lung cancer.•MSCs act as a potential therapeutic approach of lung cancer.

The tumor microenvironment (TME) of lung cancer has been documented to play an important role in participating in tumor disease progression. As the precursor of most stroma in TME, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) draw great attention since evidence has suggested that MSCs derived from lung cancer patients present a different phenotype compared to their normal counterparts. Furthermore, MSCs could be recruited towards tumor sites and influence tumor survival, although the effect remains contradictory. Our review will summarize the current advance of the role MSCs in lung cancer and explore the possible treatment strategies by blocking their crosstalk.