Meaning & use
tumor stroma
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountabletechnicalmedical
The connective tissue and cells surrounding a tumor, which can influence its growth.
Grammar: Used as an uncountable noun; it does not usually take a plural form.
Patterns
- tumor stroma
- the tumor stroma
- in the tumor stroma
Researchers are studying how the tumor stroma affects cancer progression.
The tumor stroma can provide a supportive environment for cancer cells.
Therapy targeting the tumor stroma is a promising area of cancer research.
Common combinations
- tumor stroma
- The tumor stroma contains fibroblasts and immune cells.
- target the tumor stroma
- New drugs aim to target the tumor stroma.
- tumor stroma cells
- Tumor stroma cells can promote angiogenesis.
Synonyms and how they differ
- tumor microenvironment
- A broader term that includes the stroma as well as other components like blood vessels and immune cells.
Commonly confused: tumor stroma or tumor parenchyma?
tumor stroma vs tumor parenchyma
The parenchyma is the functional tissue of the tumor (the cancer cells themselves), while the stroma is the supporting connective tissue.
Practice
In cancer research, the ______ refers to the connective tissue and cells surrounding a tumor.
Choose one answer.
The tumor stroma is the supportive tissue around a tumor. 'Tumor parenchyma' refers to the cancer cells themselves, 'tumor marker' is a substance produced by cancer cells, and 'tumor suppressor' is a gene that regulates cell growth.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “tumor stroma”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.