Frontiers in Oncology (Nov 2022)

The effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on the tumor immune microenvironment in gastrointestinal tumors

  • Yujie Wang,
  • Peng Gao,
  • Zhibin Hao,
  • Ling Chen,
  • Xiaoxiao Li,
  • Yuan Jiao,
  • Jingyu Liu,
  • Jie Li,
  • Yingyi Zhang,
  • Xiaobo Peng,
  • Beifang Ning,
  • Xianbao Zhan

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2022.1054598
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12

Abstract

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In recent years, numerous studies have demonstrated that the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) is capable of regulating the growth of tumors, and tumor-infiltrating immune cells in the TIME can affect the prognosis and treatment responses of patients. Consequently, therapies targeting these immune cells have emerged as important antitumor treatments. As a crucial componet of the perioperative treatment of malignant tumors, neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) can improve the surgical resection rate and prognosis of patients and is a suitable clinical model to evaluate the effect of chemotherapy on the TIME. To provide a rationale for developing valid combinational therapies, this review summarizes the impact of NACT on the TIME, the relationship between tumor-infiltrating immune cells and treatment responses of patients, and the prognostic value of these infiltrating immune cells.

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