Mechanisms underlying the interaction of immune cells with tumour cells in their microenvironment are still obscure. A European consortium developed strategies to understand and manipulate interactions of particular classes of immune cells with the developing tumours.
Recent research on tumour-associated myeloid cells attracted particular attention because their presence in tumours is often linked to poor patient survival. Experimental studies indicated that myeloid cells modulate key cancer-associated activities including immune evasion, and affect all types of cancer therapy. These cells form the tumour infiltrating myeloid cell compartment (TIMCC), preventing more specific immune cells from entering the tumour microenvironment (TME) and acting as tumour killers.
Further information: Immune cells in the tumour microenvironment