RT Journal Article T1 Bioengineered Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells in Anti-Cancer Therapy: Current Trends and Future Prospects A1 Gil Chinchilla, Jesús Isaías A1 Zapata González, Agustín Gregorio A1 Moraleda, Jose A1 García Bernal, David AB Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are one of the most widely used cell types in advanced therapies due to their therapeutic potential in the regulation of tissue repair and homeostasis, and immune modulation. However, their use in cancer therapy is controversial: they can inhibit cancer cell proliferation, but also potentially promote tumour growth by supporting angiogenesis, modulation of the immune milieu and increasing cancer stem cell invasiveness. This opposite behaviour highlights the need for careful and nuanced use of MSCs in cancer treatment. To optimize their anti-cancer effects, diverse strategies have bioengineered MSCs to enhance their tumour targeting and therapeutic properties or to deliver anti-cancer drugs. In this review, we highlight the advanced uses of MSCs in cancer therapy, particularly as carriers of targeted treatments due to their natural tumour-homing capabilities. We also discuss the potential of MSC-derived extracellular vesicles to improve the efficiency of drug or molecule delivery to cancer cells. Ongoing clinical trials are evaluating the therapeutic potential of these cells and setting the stage for future advances in MSC-based cancer treatment. It is critical to identify the broad and potent applications of bioengineered MSCs in solid tumour targeting and anti-cancer agent delivery to position them as effective therapeutics in the evolving field of cancer therapy. PB MDPI SN 2218-273X YR 2024 FD 2024 LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/118042 UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/118042 LA eng NO Gil-Chinchilla, J.I.; Zapata, A.G.; Moraleda, J.M.; García-Bernal, D. Bioengineered Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells in Anti-Cancer Therapy: Current Trends and Future Prospects. Biomolecules 2024, 14, 734. https://doi.org/10.3390/ biom14070734 NO This work was supported by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) through the Spanish Network of Advanced Therapies (Terav), RICORS subprogram, projects RD21/0017/0010 (to A.G.Z.) and RD21/0017/0001 (to J.M.M.), co-funded by ERDF-Next Generation EU “Plan de Recuperación, Transformación y Resiliencia”. NO Instituto de Salud Carlos III NO European Commission DS Docta Complutense RD 22 ene 2026