The pro-tumorigenic host response to cancer therapies

• Published in: Nature reviews. Cancer Vol. 19; no. 12; pp. 667 - 685
• Main Author: Shaked, Yuval
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Nature Publishing Group 01.12.2019
• Subjects: Angiogenesis; Animals; Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology; B cells; Cancer; Cancer therapies; Carcinogenesis; Care and treatment; Cell Lineage; Development and progression; Disease Progression; Disease-Free Survival; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; Epigenesis, Genetic; Health aspects; Humans; Immune System; Immunology; Immunotherapy; Metastases; Mice; Neoplasm Metastasis; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Neoplasms - therapy; Neovascularization, Pathologic; Oncology; Oncology, Experimental; Precision Medicine; Tumor Microenvironment; Tumors
• ISSN: 1474-175X; 1474-1768
• DOI: 10.1038/s41568-019-0209-6

Resistance to cancer therapy remains a major challenge in clinical oncology. Although the initial treatment phase is often successful, eventual resistance, characterized by tumour relapse or spread, is discouraging. The majority of studies devoted to investigating the basis of resistance have focused on tumour-related changes that contribute to therapy resistance and tumour aggressiveness. However, over the last decade, the diverse roles of various host cells in promoting therapy resistance have become more appreciated. A growing body of evidence demonstrates that cancer therapy can induce host-mediated local and systemic responses, many of which shift the delicate balance within the tumour microenvironment, ultimately facilitating or supporting tumour progression. In this Review, recent advances in understanding how the host response to different cancer therapies may promote therapy resistance are discussed, with a focus on therapy-induced immunological, angiogenic and metastatic effects. Also summarized is the potential of evaluating the host response to cancer therapy in an era of precision medicine in oncology.