Recent advances in novel tumor immunotherapy strategies based on regulating the tumor microenvironment and immune

Hanhui Jing1, Yan Gao1, Zongsheng Sun1

  • 1Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China.

PubMed

Tumor immunotherapy, a novel and rapidly progressing cancer treatment, has experienced remarkable advancements over recent years. It focuses on augmenting the patient's immune defenses and remodeling the immune microenvironment (IME) of tumors, rather than directly targeting malignant cells. The efficacy of immunotherapy relies substantially on multiple components within the tumor microenvironment (TME), extending beyond adaptive immunity alone. Immune cells within the TME play critical roles in both promoting immune surveillance and facilitating immune evasion. This complexity emphasizes the importance of immune checkpoint regulation in immunotherapeutic interventions. Therapeutically targeting specific immune cell subsets and metabolic pathways in combination treatments can transform an immunosuppressive TME into one that is immunologically activated, facilitating enhanced immune cell infiltration and consequently improving immunotherapy efficacy. Nevertheless, comprehensive research remains necessary to fully elucidate the mechanisms underlying TME interactions and immune checkpoint regulation, ultimately enabling more effective immunotherapeutic approaches.

Related Concept Videos

Tumor Immunotherapy01:27

Tumor Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a treatment that boosts or manipulates the immune system to fight diseases, including cancer. For instance, by stimulating an immune response through vaccinations against viruses that cause cancers, like hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus, these diseases can be prevented. Nonetheless, some cancer cells can avoid the immune system due to their rapid mutation and division. The immune response to many cancers involves three phases: elimination, equilibrium, and escape.
665
The Tumor Microenvironment02:17

The Tumor Microenvironment

Every normal cell or tissue is embedded in a complex local environment called stroma, consisting of different cell types, a basal membrane, and blood vessels. As normal cells mutate and develop into cancer cells, their local environment also changes to allow cancer progression. The tumor microenvironment (TME) consists of a complex cellular matrix of stromal cells and the developing tumor. The cross-talk between cancer cells and surrounding stromal cells is critical to disrupt normal tissue...
6.8K
Cancer Vaccines01:30

Cancer Vaccines

Cancer treatment vaccines are a rapidly evolving field that offers a promising approach to immunotherapy. Unlike traditional vaccines that prevent diseases, cancer treatment vaccines are designed to treat existing cancers by stimulating the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.
Cancer vaccines come in two categories: preventive (prophylactic) and treatment (active). Preventive vaccines, such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, protect against viruses that cause certain...
517
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
7.8K
Cancer Therapies02:49

Cancer Therapies

Cancer therapies are various modes of treatment, such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy that are administered to cancer patients.
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
8.0K