Recently, studies have focused on the co-existence of two distinct subtypes of CAFs in PDAC: CAFs that express a high level of α-SMA which has been implicated with a tumor-suppressive role and is located primarily adjacent to cancer cells (myCAF), and CAFs that express high levels of cytokines and chemokines, associated with tumor-promoting behavior, and are located farther away from the cancer cells (iCAFs) [76]. Here, ACTA1 is linked to cancer.