The tumor microenvironment emerged as an essential target of cancer therapy. Henceforth,
beside tumor surgery, current therapeutic strategies reveal that harnessing cancer is beyond our focus on the biology of cancer cells. Interactions of cancer cells with different host cells, resident or recruited to tumor site are critical in fueling or inhibiting tumor progression. Several therapies targeting the host compartment of tumors have been designed and currently applied in the clinic. In addition to stroma-targeted therapies, novel strategies based on unleashing the immune response against tumor cells have been found to be successful in oncology for numerous cancers.
Currently, check point inhibitors, mostly for T cells, are considered as the most promising option for treating advanced and aggressive cancers. Other strategies targeting NK cells, myeloid suppressive cells and other immune cells are also emerging. However many patients remain resistant to the host targeting therapies, urging the development of biomarkers and novel therapeutic strategies, based on combining drugs that could counteract resistance.
The tumor microenvironment emerged as an essential target of cancer therapy. Henceforth,
beside tumor surgery, current therapeutic strategies reveal that harnessing cancer is beyond our focus on the biology of cancer cells. Interactions of cancer cells with different host cells, resident or recruited to tumor site are critical in fueling or inhibiting tumor progression. Several therapies targeting the host compartment of tumors have been designed and currently applied in the clinic. In addition to stroma-targeted therapies, novel strategies based on unleashing the immune response against tumor cells have been found to be successful in oncology for numerous cancers.
Currently, check point inhibitors, mostly for T cells, are considered as the most promising option for treating advanced and aggressive cancers. Other strategies targeting NK cells, myeloid suppressive cells and other immune cells are also emerging. However many patients remain resistant to the host targeting therapies, urging the development of biomarkers and novel therapeutic strategies, based on combining drugs that could counteract resistance.