title: A Breakthrough: Macrophage-Directed Cancer Immunotherapy.
abstract: Successful immunotherapy of cancer is becoming a reality aided by the realization that macrophages play an important role in the growth or regression of tumors. Specifically, M2/repair-type macrophages predominate in human cancers and produce growth-promoting molecules that actively stimulate tumor growth in much the same way they help wounds heal. However, modulating M2/repair-type macrophages to M1/kill-type can slow or stop cancer growth. The effects involve direct activity of M1 kill-type as well as the ability of M1-type macrophages to stimulate Th1-type cytotoxic T cells and other effector cells. Macrophage responses can also predict cancer susceptibility; individuals with a high M1/kill to M2/repair ratio are less prone. That macrophages/innate immunity can be modulated to play a central role in directly or indirectly combating cancer is a breakthrough that seems likely to finally make successful immunotherapy of cancer a reality.
authors.affiliation: BioMedical Consultants, Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota. mills002@umn.edu.
authors.forename: Charles D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Mills
authors.affiliation: Immunology and Microbiology Department, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado.
authors.forename: Laurel L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Lenz
authors.affiliation: Applied Immunology and Immunotherapy, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Harris
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*