[Mechanisms of Macrophage Efferocytosis-driven Remodeling of Lung Cancer 
Microenvironment Structure and Angiogenesis...

Lung cancer is one of the most prevalent and lethal malignant tumors worldwide. In recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitors have significantly improved the survival outcomes of some patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer; however, primary and acquired resistance remain important barriers limiting their clinical efficacy. Research has revealed that structural remodeling of the tumor microenvironment (TME) is one of the key factors involved in immunotherapy resistance. Efferocytosis is an important process by which tumor-associated macrophages clear apoptotic cells. In the lung cancer TME, the high apoptotic cell burden can lead to persistent activation of efferocytosis. Studies have shown that sustained efferocytosis is not merely a process of cellular debris clearance, but can also induce metabolic reprogramming in macrophages, including dysregulated lipid metabolism and enhanced glycolysis, and promote the secretion of immunosuppressive and tissue-repair-related factors. These changes further promote pathological angiogenesis, activation of cancer-associated fibroblasts, and excessive extracellular matrix deposition, thereby driving structural remodeling of the TME and forming an immune-excluded microenvironment characterized by vascular abnormalities and stromal fibrosis. This process restricts effector T-cell infiltration and impairs the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors. This review describes the molecular mechanisms of macrophage efferocytosis in the lung cancer TME, focusing on its regulatory roles in metabolic reprogramming, pathological angiogenesis, and stromal fibrosis, and discusses potential therapeutic strategies targeting efferocytosis-related signaling pathways and TME structural remodeling, aiming to provide new insights into overcoming immunotherapy resistance in lung cancer.
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