Repurposing Antiestrogens for Tumor Immunotherapy

Svoronos and colleagues observed estrogen receptor alpha-positive cells in the tumor stroma of patients with ovarian cancer that appeared to be independent of both the tumor's estrogen receptor status and tumor type. These cells were identifi ed as immunosuppressive myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) and could be targeted by antiestrogen therapy, thereby leading to the hypothesis that endocrine therapy when combined with immunotherapy may provide a potential therapeutic benefit by helping to reduce immunosuppressive MDSCs. (C) 2017 AACR.