Tumorigenesis and Tumor Microenvironment in Lung Cancer.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Immunology
• Cancer Biology

Background:

• Lung cancer is a major cause of mortality globally.
• The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a critical role in lung cancer progression and therapy response.
• Factors like tobacco smoke and chronic inflammation remodel the TME, impacting antitumor immunity and metastasis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze recent evidence linking lung tumorigenesis to TME ecology across different histologies.
• To emphasize cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) heterogeneity and immune niche organization.
• To evaluate emerging therapeutic strategies targeting the TME.

Main Methods:

• Review of current scientific literature on lung cancer and TME.
• Analysis of CAF heterogeneity and spatial immune organization.
• Evaluation of therapeutic strategies targeting TME components and pathways (e.g., IL-6, TGF-β).

Main Results:

• TME composition, including CAF heterogeneity and immune cell distribution, significantly impacts lung cancer progression and metastasis.
• Specific microenvironments influence organ-specific metastasis, including brain metastasis.
• Emerging therapies aim to reprogram the TME for improved treatment outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Targeting the TME holds promise for novel lung cancer treatments.
• Further research is needed on longitudinal/spatial multi-omics and biomarkers for TME states.
• Future clinical trials should consider dynamic microenvironmental adaptations.