title: TAM macrophages promote growth and metastasis within the cancer ecosystem.
abstract: Cancer continues to be the major cause of morbidity and death of more than 500,000 people in the US annually. Alternatively activated macrophages (M2 macrophages or TAMs) can facilitate tumor invasiveness and metastasis. As an invasive species in the tumor microenvironment, they provide an ideal therapeutic target.
authors.affiliation: The James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute; Johns Hopkins School of Medicine ; Baltimore, MD USA.
authors.forename: Jelani C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Zarif
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine; University of Michigan School of Dentistry ; Ann Arbor, MI USA.
authors.forename: Russell S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Taichman
authors.affiliation: The James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute; Johns Hopkins School of Medicine ; Baltimore, MD USA ; Department of Oncology; Johns Hopkins School of Medicine ; Baltimore, MD USA ; Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences; Johns Hopkins School of Medicine ; Baltimore, MD USA ; Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; The Johns Hopkins University ; Baltimore, MD USA.
authors.forename: Kenneth J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Pienta
keywords: epithelial to mesenchymal transition; metastasis; prostate cancer; tumor associated macrophages