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Updated: Feb 20, 2026

Studying the Role of Alveolar Macrophages in Breast Cancer Metastasis
Published on: June 26, 2016
TAMeless traitors: macrophages in cancer progression and metastasis
1Fels Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Biology, and Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Biochemistry, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA.
Abstract:
Macrophages are conventionally classified into M1 and M2 subtypes according to their differentiation status and functional role in the immune system. However, accumulating evidence suggests that this binary classification system is insufficient to account for the remarkable plasticity of macrophages that gives rise to an immense diversity of subtypes. This diverse spectrum of macrophage subtypes play critical roles in various homeostatic and immune functions, but remain far from being fully characterised. In addition to their roles in normal physiological conditions, macrophages also play crucial roles in disease conditions such as cancer. In this review, we discuss the roles tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) play in regulating different steps of tumour progression and metastasis, and the opportunities to target them in the quest for cancer prevention and treatment.
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