miRNA transported by exosomes: a key machinery in tumor microenvironment mediated chemoresistance

It is well established that the tumor microenvironment (TME) actively participates in fundamental processes such as tumor initiation, invasion and response to therapies, apart from its documented scaffold role. Ultimately, the TME can be defined as a tri-dimensional network structured by the tumor-associated extra-cellular matrix (ECM) in which tumor cells interact with various types of stromal cells in an attempt to hijack the normal organization of the host tissue and support cancer growth.