Heterotypic tumor microenvironments mirror dynamic wound-healing process

Tumors co-opt normal wound-healing programs to shape their immune microenvironment, yet how distinct immune states arise and influence therapy remains unclear. Here, we synthesize emerging evidence that tumors become locked in either proinflammatory or pro-resolution phases, defined by neutrophil- or macrophage-dominated ecosystems. These states not only remodel local tissues but also systemically reprogram hematopoiesis, creating self-reinforcing immune circuits that drive progression, metastasis, and treatment resistance. We highlight recent advances linking epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity, lipid metabolism, and myeloid dynamics into an integrated 'wound-healing clock' model. This framework provides a conceptual basis for patient stratification and suggests that therapeutically redirecting immune states may unlock new strategies to overcome resistance across cancer types.