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The cancer microenvironment, or tumour microenvironment, describes the non-cancerous cells present in the tumour. These include fibroblasts, immune cells and cells that comprise the blood vessels. It also includes the proteins produced by all of the cells present in the tumour that support the growth of the cancer cells.
This Review discusses the mechanisms by which common alterations of cancer cell metabolism interfere with immune functions to promote immunoevasion and tumour progression, and avenues to target such alterations for therapeutic purposes.
In this recent study, He et al. establish that chronic stress promotes metastasis through stress-induced formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs).
Cancer cells adjust the composition of their glycocalyx to increase its thickness and create a physical barrier that shields them from immune recognition and engagement.
Recently published in Nature, Fan et al. demonstrate that accumulation of advanced glycation end-products in the extracellular matrix of the liver increases viscoelasticity to promote hepatocellular carcinoma growth, independent of stiffness.