Macrophages: Good guys in colorectal cancer

Oncoimmunology. 2013 Feb 1;2(2):e23038. doi: 10.4161/onci.23038.

Abstract

Macrophages play a complex role in tumor progression since they can exert both tumor-preventing (M1 macrophages) and tumor-promoting (M2 macrophages) activities. In colorectal carcinoma (CRC), at odds to many other cancers, macrophage infiltration has been correlated with an improved patient survival. In a recent study, we have evaluated the distribution of M1 and M2 macrophage subtypes in CRC and their impact on patient prognosis.

Keywords: CpG island methylator phenotype; colorectal cancer; macrophage subtypes; microsatellite instability; prognosis.