Tumor-associated macrophages and cancer metastasis

Abstract

Tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) play an important role in cancer metastasis by creating a favourable microenvironment for cancer cell survival, growth, and spread. These pathways ultimately affect the immune system and the development of cancer in the tumour microenvironment by enhancing macrophages' plasticity and their capacity to transition between distinct activation states. Because of their diverse functions and ability to switch between different activation states (M1 and M2) and their ability to polarize various immune cells in the tumour microenvironment, influencing the immune response to cancer, TAMs are appealing targets for cancer therapy and treatment, with ongoing research focusing on the development of new strategies to target and modulate TAM functions in the context of cancer metastasis. Despite these obstacles, targeting TAMs remains a promising area of research in cancer immunotherapy, with ongoing efforts to develop new strategies and therapies to harness the immune response, improve cancer treatment outcomes and save lives.