title: Immune cells in colorectal cancer: prognostic relevance and therapeutic strategies.
abstract: During the last two decades, considerable efforts have been made to improve the prevention, early diagnosis and therapy of colorectal cancer by gaining enhanced insights into disease-specific pathogenesis. Along these lines, tumor-infiltrating immune cells turned out to be critical indicators for an efficient antitumor immune response and the number and type of tumor-infiltrating immune cells determined the resulting tumor prognosis. This review aims to describe the prognostic relevance of the different subsets of tumor-infiltrating immune cells and highlights their specific function in the complex process of immune system-mediated rejection of colorectal cancer cells. Considering the clinical impact of this increased insight into tumor-associated immunology, resulting innovative approaches in the treatment of colorectal cancer are summarized and discussed immunotherapeutic critically.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany. imke.atreya@1-med.klinik.uni-mainz.de
authors.forename: Imke
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Atreya
authors.forename: Markus F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Neurath
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D007167:Immunotherapy; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D011379:Prognosis; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019496:Cancer Vaccines