The capability of the immune system to generate a rapid and effective immune response
aimed to eliminate aberrant cells is the key to protect the organism by the development of tumours.
However, tumours are able to evade the mechanisms of immune surveillance. Several lines of
experimental and epidemiological evidence indicate that a “smouldering” inflammation is associated
with most of, if not all, tumours and supports their progression.
Indeed, tumours promote a constant influx of myelomonocytic cells that play as key orchestrators of
cancer-related inflammation, supporting proliferation and survival of malignant cells, subversion of
adaptive immune response, angiogenesis, stroma remodeling and metastasis formation.
The connection between inflammation and cancer is unequivocal, but some of the mechanisms at the
basis of such association are still unknown. Recent advances in the understanding of the cellular and
molecular circuits of cancer-related inflammation as well as their potential relevance as diagnostic,
prognostic and therapeutic targets are herein discussed.
Keywords: Chronic inflammation, tumour microenvironment, TAM, MDSC, TADC, targets.
