Macrophages in the microenvironment of head and neck cancer: potential targets for cancer therapy

Diane Evrard; Petr Szturz; Annemilaï Tijeras-Raballand; Lucile Astorgues-Xerri; Chloé Abitbol; Valérie Paradis; Eric Raymond; Sébastien Albert; Béatrix Barry; Sandrine Faivre

doi:10.1016/j.oraloncology.2018.10.040

Macrophages in the microenvironment of head and neck cancer: potential targets for cancer therapy

Oral Oncol. 2019 Jan:88:29-38. doi: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2018.10.040. Epub 2018 Nov 20.

Affiliations

¹ Head and Neck Surgery Department, Hôpital Bichat, Paris, France.
² Oncology Department, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland.
³ AFR Oncology, Hôpital Lariboisière, Paris, France.
⁴ Pathology Department, Hôpital Beaujon, Clichy, France.
⁵ Medical Oncology Department, Groupe Hospitalier Paris---St Joseph, Paris, France.
⁶ Medical Oncology Department, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris Nord Val de Seine (HUPVNS) & Université Paris 7, Paris, France. Electronic address: prof.faivre@gmail.com.

PMID: 30616794
DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2018.10.040

Abstract

The microenvironment of solid tumors has become a promising target for future therapies modulating immune cells. Patients with advanced head and neck cancer, which still portends a poor outcome, are particularly in need of innovative approaches. In oral squamous cell carcinoma, high density of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) appears consistently associated with poor prognosis, whereas data are currently limited for other head and neck sites. Several approaches to block TAMs have been investigated, including TAMs inactivation by means of the colony stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1)/CSF-1 receptor (CSF-1R) inhibitors or strategies to reprogram TAMs from M2 protumoral phenotype toward M1 antitumoral phenotype. This review focuses on both prognostic and therapeutic aspects related to TAMs in head and neck carcinomas.

Keywords: CSF-1R inhibitor; Cancer treatment; Protumoral activities; Targeted therapy; Tumor microenvironment; Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs).

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
Head and Neck Neoplasms / drug therapy*
Head and Neck Neoplasms / immunology*
Head and Neck Neoplasms / virology
Humans
Immunomodulation
Macrophage Activation / drug effects
Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / antagonists & inhibitors
Macrophages / classification
Macrophages / drug effects
Macrophages / immunology*
Macrophages / metabolism
Molecular Targeted Therapy / methods
Prognosis
Receptors, Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / antagonists & inhibitors
Tumor Microenvironment / immunology*

Substances

Antineoplastic Agents
CSF1 protein, human
CSF1R protein, human
Receptors, Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor
Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor