The tumour-induced systemic environment as a critical regulator of cancer progression and metastasis

Abstract

Recent pre-clinical and clinical research has provided evidence that cancer progression is driven not only by a tumour’s underlying genetic alterations and paracrine interactions within the tumour microenvironment, but also by complex systemic processes. We review these emerging paradigms of cancer pathophysiology and discuss how a clearer understanding of systemic regulation of cancer progression could guide development of new therapeutic modalities and efforts to prevent disease relapse following initial diagnosis and treatment.

Prognostic value of preoperative neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio is superior to platelet-lymphocyte ratio for survival in patients who underwent complete resection of thymic carcinoma

“…Cancer-related inflammation has been shown to have adverse effects on cancer prognosis. The development and progression of cancer depends on a complex interaction of the tumor characteristics and the host inflammatory response, but many of the molecular and cellular mechanisms mediating this relationship remain unresolved (22)(23)(24). The host inflammatory response triggered by a tumor is complex and involves alterations in neuroendocrine metabolism, hormones and hematopoietic changes including the relative numbers of circulating white cells and platelets.…”

Prognostic significance of nomograms integrating IL‐37 expression, neutrophil level, and MMR status in patients with colorectal cancer

“…Although outcome and the need for adjuvant chemotherapy are routinely determined using the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) Tumor‐Node‐Metastasis (TNM) staging system, large variations in prognosis have been showed among patients with disease of the same stage and undergoing similar treatment 2, 3, 4. In fact, other tumor‐associated characteristics, such as those intrinsic to tumor cells and those related to the interactions of cancer cells with microenvironmental stimuli, might similarly influence CRC prognosis and be applied to evaluate the necessity of further treatment 5, 6…”

Systemic inflammation: Cancer's long-distance reach to maximize metastasis

“…Confined tumors induce these long-distance changes that consequently create the right conditions for cultivation of tumor growth and metastasis. 1 Recently, our lab unraveled a mechanism in the K14cre; Cdh1 F/F ;Trp53 F/F (KEP) mouse model by which mammary tumors systemically reshape the host immune system to support metastasis. 2 We showed that IL17-producing gd T cells, activated by mammary tumor-derived IL1b, drive systemic expansion and polarization of neutrophils.…”