Frontiers in Oncology (Feb 2020)

The Emerging Role of the c-MET-HGF Axis in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy

  • Helen F. Titmarsh,
  • Helen F. Titmarsh,
  • Richard O'Connor,
  • Kevin Dhaliwal,
  • Ahsan R. Akram,
  • Ahsan R. Akram

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2020.00054
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10

Abstract

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Study of the c-Met-HGF axis in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has focused on the roles of c-MET signaling in neoplastic epithelial cells and the secretion of its ligand hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) by tumor stromal cells. However, there is increasing evidence that some leukocyte sub-sets also express c-MET raising the possibility of an immunomodulatory role for this axis. Consequently, the role of the c-MET- HGF axis in immunoncology is an active area of ongoing research. This review summarizes current knowledge of c-MET expression in NSCLC, the prognostic significance of these findings and the mechanisms by which the c-MET-HGF axis might act in NSCLC, focusing on the emerging evidence for an immunoregulatory role.

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