Potential Strategies to Improve the Effectiveness of Drug Therapy by Changing Factors Related to Tumor Microenvironment

Dehong Cao; Xiaokaiti Naiyila; Jinze Li; Yin Huang; Zeyu Chen; Bo Chen; Jin Li; Jianbing Guo; Qiang Dong; Jianzhong Ai; Lu Yang; Liangren Liu; Qiang Wei

doi:10.3389/fcell.2021.705280

Potential Strategies to Improve the Effectiveness of Drug Therapy by Changing Factors Related to Tumor Microenvironment

Front Cell Dev Biol. 2021 Aug 10:9:705280. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2021.705280. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Dehong Cao¹, Xiaokaiti Naiyila^{1

2}, Jinze Li^{1

2}, Yin Huang^{1

2}, Zeyu Chen^{1

2}, Bo Chen^{1

2}, Jin Li^{1

2}, Jianbing Guo¹, Qiang Dong¹, Jianzhong Ai¹, Lu Yang¹, Liangren Liu¹, Qiang Wei¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Urology/Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
² West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.

Abstract

A tumor microenvironment (TME) is composed of various cell types and extracellular components. It contains tumor cells and is nourished by a network of blood vessels. The TME not only plays a significant role in the occurrence, development, and metastasis of tumors but also has a far-reaching impact on the effect of therapeutics. Continuous interaction between tumor cells and the environment, which is mediated by their environment, may lead to drug resistance. In this review, we focus on the key cellular components of the TME and the potential strategies to improve the effectiveness of drug therapy by changing their related factors.

Keywords: cancer-associated fibroblasts; drug therapy; targeted therapy; tumor microenvironment; tumor-associated macrophages.

Publication types

Review