Dissecting Biology of Solid Tumour: The Microenvironment and Cancer Progression

Abstract

Focus on cancer therapy is experiencing a major paradigm shift from ways of attacking tumor cells to a strategy for specifically targeting the tumor microenvironment (TME). This approach requires a comprehensive understanding of roles of each component of the tumor environment. A description of the tumor microenvironment and its impact on tumor progression is presented here. Available studies indicate that both tumor/epithelial and stroma characteristics play important roles in cancer progression. Details of this work show that different components of the tumor microenvironment contribute towards cancer progression and clearly suggest a role for use of combination therapies for tight tumor control.