[Tumor microenvironment: promising therapeutic target]

Abstract

Tumors are complex tissues composed of cancer cells, various types of stromal cells and extracellular matrix. Recent studies have shown that the tumor microenvironment(TME) plays an important role in both malignant tumor progression and treatment response. Thus, it is essential to improve our understanding of the mechanism of communication between cancer cells and their TME. Much effort has been devoted to developing agents that interfere with the interaction between cancer cells and their TME. In this review, we show a brief overview over the current knowledge about the TME-targeting agents and describe therapeutic strategies that have been designed to target components of the TME.