To further confirm whether rCAFs regulated cancer cell chemoresistance via EGFR signaling pathway, we performed western blot analysis with cancer cells after treated with CM from sCAFs or rCAFs in the presence or absence of DDP or 5’FU, indicating that the phosphorylation of EGFR and its downstream effectors Src and STAT331,32 was increased in FaDu or Tu686 cells after exposed with CM from rCAFs even in the presence or absence of chemotherapy, compared to the cells exposed with CM from sCAFs (Fig. 5g, Supplementary Fig. 5j, k). Here, SRC is linked to cancer.