Tumor-secreted chemokines

Tumor-secreted chemokines are a heterogeneous group of small secreted proteins produced by tumor and stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment, responsible for orchestrating immune cell migration, tumor-associated inflammation, cell proliferation, apoptosis avoidance, angiogenesis, and metastatic spread. Their effects are pleiotropic: depending on context, they may promote tumor progression, immune evasion, and therapy resistance, or recruit anti-tumor immune effectors. Dysregulated chemokine networks are often associated with poor prognosis, and chemokine signaling pathways are being pursued as cancer therapeutic targets, often in combination with immunotherapy.

Other names

Tumor-derived chemokinesTumor microenvironment chemokinesCancer-associated chemokinesPro-tumor chemokines

Blockade of chemokine receptor signaling to inhibit tumor-associated immune cell recruitment and metastasis Modulation of T cell infiltration into tumors to enhance anti-tumor immune response Inhibition of tumor-promoting macrophage and MDSC recruitment Suppression of angiogenesis