In addition to promoting angiogenesis via PI3K/AKT activation (Huang et al., 2023), THBS2-expressing cancer-associated fibroblasts have been identified as drivers of oxaliplatin resistance through the secretion of COL8A1, which activates PI3K/AKT signalling and induces epithelial–mesenchymal transition (Zhou et al., 2024). The gene discussed is COL8A1; the disease is cancer.