User:Hcs22e/Tumor microenvironment

Lead
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex ecosystem surrounding a tumor, composed of a variety of non-cancerous cells including blood vessels, immune cells, fibroblasts, signaling molecules and the extracellular matrix (ECM). Mutual interaction between cancer cells and the different components of the TME support its growth and invasion in healthy tissues which correlates with tumor resistance to current treatments and poor prognosis.

Models of the tumor microenvironment
Recent advancement is the use of microfluidic platforms, also called tumor-on-a-chip platforms, in investigating cancer-immune crosstalk. These devices can be used to recapitulate the TME allowing broader understanding of specific interactions of cancer cells and the surrounding environment, as well as assess the efficacy of different immunotherapies available.

Drug development
Advances in TME remodeling nanotherapeutics suppress cancer metastasis and recurrence. Numerous strategies employing nanotechnology to control TAM polarization have been created and examined. Zanganeh and colleagues discovered that the use of ferumoxytol suppress tumor growth by inducing transition of M2 macrophage to pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype.

CAR T cell therapy
Chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) T cell therapy is an immunotherapy treatment that uses genetically modified T lymphocytes to effectively target tumor cells. Since the TME is known for several barriers that limits the ability of CAR T cells to infiltrate the tumor, several strategies have been developed to address this. Localized delivery of CAR T cells in glioblastoma suggested improved anti-tumor activity and engineering these cells to overexpress chemokine receptors suggested improvement of CAR T cell trafficking to the TME.