Together with the differential expression of growth factors (e.g. fibroblast growth factor 2 [FGF2], vascular endothelial growth factor C [VEGFC], platelet derived growth factor D [PDGFD] and insulin‐like growth factor 1 [IGF1]) by the mesothelial cells, these results would suggest that pleural mesothelial cell populations could play a CAF‐like role supporting the survival of cancer cells without undergoing MMT. This evidence concerns the gene FGF2 and cancer.