Osteopontin (OPN) is a growth regulatory protein for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and a potent chemoattractant for macrophages. Zhu and colleagues recently reported significant clinical associations between poor postoperative prognosis and the concurrent detection of tumoral OPN expression and peritumoral macrophage (PTM) infiltration. An in-depth understanding on the complex interaction between tumoral OPN and macrophage-infiltrated microenvironment opens new doors to novel anticancer treatments.
Keywords: Metastasis; cancer recurrence; early detection; inflammation.