Modulating the Tumor Immune Microenvironment: Insights into Cancer Cell Migration

Cancer research increasingly focuses on the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), which plays a complex role in cancer cell behavior and metastasis. The composition and interactions of immune cells within the tumor can either suppress or promote cancer progression, influencing the disease's trajectory. The pro-tumorigenic actions of cells like regulatory T cells, tumor-associated macrophages, and other specialized immune cells contribute to cancer spread, regardless of the tumor's immunological classification as 'hot' or 'cold.' Conversely, cells such as cytotoxic T lymphocytes and NK cells are noted for their cancer-fighting abilities. Recent research has also explored how immune checkpoint inhibitors and other novel therapies can exploit immune cells' anti-tumoral properties to combat cancer more effectively.

This Research Topic aims to compile the latest research on how the immune components within the tumor environment influence cancer progression, focusing specifically on liquid biopsies and immune therapy. Challenges remain in understanding the functional relationships between immune and cancer cells, particularly in how immune cells interact with circulating tumor cells and affect metastatic seeding. There is a significant need for innovative studies that dissect these interactions at a molecular level, potentially reshaping our approach to cancer treatment and diagnosis through functional validation of novel biomarkers and detailed mechanistic insights.

To deepen our understanding of these interactions, we welcome contributions that address several critical aspects:
o The dynamics between immune and cancer cells at the tumor's invasive front.
o The roles of immune cells in protecting cancer cells within the circulation.
o How immune cells contribute to cancer cell survival and aid in their migration to metastatic sites.
o The pros and cons of current model systems for studying immune-cancer cell interactions.
o The application of cutting-edge single-cell and multi-omic technologies to uncover new diagnostic and therapeutic targets within TIME.
o Explorations of new immune-modulatory treatments and their effect on cancer progression.


Please note that manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases which are not accompanied by robust and relevant validation (clinical cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are out of scope for this Research Topic.