Spatial profiling technologies illuminate the tumor microenvironment

• Published in: Cancer cell Vol. 41; no. 3; pp. 404 - 420
• Main Authors: Elhanani, Ofer, Ben-Uri, Raz, Keren, Leeat
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 13.03.2023
• Subjects: Humans; Immunotherapy - methods; multiplexed imaging; Neoplasms - therapy; Prognosis; spatial profiling; spatial transcriptomics; tumor microenvironment; Tumor Microenvironment - physiology; tumor microenvironment; multiplexed imaging; spatial profiling; spatial transcriptomics
• ISSN: 1535-6108; 1878-3686; 1878-3686
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2023.01.010

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is composed of many different cellular and acellular components that together drive tumor growth, invasion, metastasis, and response to therapies. Increasing realization of the significance of the TME in cancer biology has shifted cancer research from a cancer-centric model to one that considers the TME as a whole. Recent technological advancements in spatial profiling methodologies provide a systematic view and illuminate the physical localization of the components of the TME. In this review, we provide an overview of major spatial profiling technologies. We present the types of information that can be extracted from these data and describe their applications, findings and challenges in cancer research. Finally, we provide a future perspective of how spatial profiling could be integrated into cancer research to improve patient diagnosis, prognosis, stratification to treatment and development of novel therapeutics. Elhanani et al. review major spatial profiling technologies and their application, findings, and challenges in cancer research. They propose how spatial profiling could be integrated into cancer research to improve patient diagnosis, prognosis, stratification to treatment, and development of novel therapeutics.