Tumor Microenvironment Complexity: Emerging Roles in Cancer Therapy
Open accessAbstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) consists of cells, soluble factors, signaling molecules, extracellular matrix, and mechanical cues that can promote neoplastic transformation, support tumor growth and invasion, protect the tumor from host immunity, foster therapeutic resistance, and provide niches for dormant metastases to thrive. An American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) special conference held on November 3–6, 2011, addressed five emerging concepts in our understanding of the TME: its dynamic evolution, how it is educated by tumor cells, pathways of communication between stromal and tumor cells, immunomodulatory roles of the lymphatic system, and contribution of the intestinal microbiota. These discussions raised critical questions on how to include the analysis of the TME in personalized cancer diagnosis and treatment. Cancer Res; 72(10); 2473–80. ©2012 AACR.
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Complex components of the tumor microenvironment can significantly affect the growth and metastasis of cancer via mechanical and biochemical factors.
“Various studies have demonstrated that complex components can significantly affect the growth and metastasis of cancer via mechanical and biochemical factors113–116.”
From Tumor-on-a-chip: from bioinspired design to biomedical application (2021) · cites this paper as [113]
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- Authors
- Swartz, M. A., Iida, N., Roberts, E. W., Sangaletti, S., Wong, M. H., Yull, F. E., Coussens, L. M., & DeClerck, Y. A.
- Affiliations
- University of Southern California (US)
- Corresponding author
- DeClerck, Yves A.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Cancer Research
- Published
- 2012-05-14
- Volume
- 72
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 2473-2480
- ISSN
- 0008-5472 (ISSN-L)
- 1538-7445
- PMC
- PMC3653596
- OpenAlex
- W1993875664
- Cited by
- 542
- References
- 39
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 26 · 2023: 31 · 2022: 38 · 2021: 47 · 2020: 46 · 2019: 47 · 2018: 41 · 2017: 56 · 2016: 32 · 2015: 56 · 2014: 49 · 2013: 34 · 2012: 11
- FWCI
- 23.90
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Cancer Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Infoscience (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Funders
- American Association for Cancer Research
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- University of Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania State University
- National Institutes of Health
- Genentech
- University of California, San Diego
- National Cancer Institute (R01CA140943, R13 CA165812, R01CA155331, R01CA130980)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer Cells and Metastasis
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer Immunotherapy and Biomarkers
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Immune cells in cancer
- Keywords
- tumor microenvironment, cancer therapy, extracellular matrix, mechanical cues, immunomodulation, lymphatic system, gut microbiota, treatment resistance, metastasis, precision oncology, tumor dormancy
- MeSH terms
- Cell Communication, Humans, Neoplasms, Stromal Cells, Tumor Microenvironment
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