Microenvironmental modulation of the developing tumour: an immune-stromal dialogue

Successful establishment of a tumour relies on a cascade of interactions between cancer cells and stromal cells within an evolving microenvironment. Both immune and nonimmune cellular components are key factors in this process, and the individual players may change their role from tumour elimination to tumour promotion as the microenvironment develops. While the tumour-stroma crosstalk present in an established tumour is well-studied, aspects in the early tumour or premalignant microenvironment have received less attention. This is in part due to the challenges in studying this process in the clinic or in mouse models. Here, we review the key anti- and pro-tumour factors in the early microenvironment and discuss how understanding this process may be exploited in the clinic.

Automated summary

The successful establishment of a tumor relies on interactions between cancer cells and stromal cells in a evolving microenvironment, with key players transitioning from tumor elimination to promotion. While the tumor-stroma crosstalk in established tumors is well-studied, the early tumor microenvironment has received less attention due to challenges in studying this process in clinic or mouse models. Understanding the key factors in the early microenvironment may provide insights for clinical applications.