New Advancement in Tumor Microenvironment Remodeling and Cancer Therapy

Tumor microenvironment (TME) refers to the area with non-malignant cells, signaling molecules and blood vessels that surrounds and feeds tumor cells. A tumor can change its microenvironment, and TME is also known to profoundly impact the occurrence, growth, metastasis and therapeutic response and resistance of tumors. The special paracrine characteristics, microvascular system, extracellular matrix components and stromal cells in TME promote local tumor immune suppression and could alter the penetration and distribution of drugs into tumor tissues. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that currently available tumor therapies (i.e., chemotherapy, radiotherapy, anti-vascular therapy, small molecule targeted therapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors) also in turn greatly affect the structure, function, and physical and chemical properties of TME, leading to TME remodeling. However, whether and how interaction of tumor cells and TME modeling can be dissected and targeted to further understand the underlying molecular mechanisms and establish effective new tumor therapies remains elusive.


During the treatment, cancer cells and the TME are both affected. The response of tumors to the treatment is well studied. However, the TME is a complex micro-world with special physical and chemical properties and is composed of non-cancer cells, an extracellular matrix, various cytokines, and growth factors. During the pathogenesis of a tumor, the TME will be constantly changed due to the education of cancer cells. In the process of tumor treatment, the TME will also undergo regular changes under the action of various internal and external causes, which is called remodeling. Especially, what biophysical, biochemical, molecular biology, genetics, metabolomics, and pathophysiology changes would occur in the TME under different treatment modalities (such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, radiotherapy, hyperthermia, etc.) and different stages of tumor treatment (such as release and progression)? This is indeed an issue that needs to be addressed well, as well as a comprehensive review of recent findings in this field. The ongoing research on this hot topic will help us improve the current cancer treatment methods and strategies.


Original studies, brief reports, reviews, and technical notes are welcome. The focus of this study is to explore the remodeling of tumor treatment on TME, and the effect of TME remodeling on tumors. These may include, but are not limited to:

• Pathophysiology, genomics, molecular biology, proteomics, metabolomics changes of the TME and their related mechanisms before and after clinical treatment;

• The influence of different treatment methods on TME and its mechanism;

• Changes of some key components in the TME and their mechanisms in different tumor responses to treatment;

• The effect of TME remodeling on tumor treatment response;

• The remodeling effect of chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, radiotherapy, hyperthermia, and other therapeutic means on TME and its mechanism;

• Effect of remodeling of TME on predicting treatment efficacy and prognosis of cancer patients;

• The link between senescence, inflammation, tumorigenesis and therapeutic resistance. Cell or non-cell autonomous maladaptive changes in how tumor cells or stromal cells communicate with each other and their surrounding TME.

Please note: studies consisting solely of bioinformatic investigation of publicly available genomic/transcriptomic/proteomic data do not fall within the scope of the section unless they are expanded and provide significant biological or mechanistic insight into the process being studied and will not be accepted as part of this Research Topic.