γδ T cells in cancer

Abstract

With the promise of T cell-based therapy for cancer finally becoming reality, this Review focuses on the less-studied γδ T cell lineage and its diverse responses to tumours. γδ T cells have well-established protective roles in cancer, largely on the basis of their potent cytotoxicity and interferon-γ production. Besides this, recent studies have revealed a series of tumour-promoting functions that are linked to interleukin-17-producing γδ T cells. Here, we integrate the current knowledge from both human and mouse studies to highlight the potential of γδ T cell modulation to improve cancer immunotherapy.