Abstract
It has long been appreciated that stromal cells within the breast tumor microenvironment contribute to mammary carcinogenesis. However, to date, very little is known regarding the role of local adipose-derived stromal cells (ASCs) in the development of breast cancer. Based on pathological, epidemiological and experimental data, we postulate that breast-derived ASCs are unique mesenchymal stem-like cells that play a critical role in the development of breast cancer and discuss the global implications of this working model in terms of breast cancer prevention, early detection, and new targeted therapies.