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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Frontiers in Oncology

The pro-metastatic effect and mechanism of immune cells in tumor metastasis

  • Shitao Geng1
  • Haihui Liang2
  • Kun Lu2
  • Changling Deng1
  • Deqiang Bao1
  • Hui Xu1
  1. 1Department of Oncology, First Naval Hospital of Southern Theater Command
  2. 2Department of Neurosurgery, First Naval Hospital of Southern Theater Command
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Abstract

Tumor metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths, and its occurrence is not only determined by the invasive capacity of tumor cells themselves but is also profoundly influenced by the dynamic remodeling of the immune system. Recent studies over the past decade have shown that the immune mechanisms in tumor metastasis have expanded from the classical failure of immune surveillance to a systemic process involving immune cell functional remodeling, the construction of the pre-metastatic niche (PMN), and tumor immune editing. This review systematically reviews the tumor promoting mechanisms of various immune cells such as T cells, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs), regulatory B cells (Bregs), tumor-associated natural killer cells (TANKs) and dendritic cells (DCs) in each stage of metastasis, and critically discusses the limitations, conceptual controversies, and future directions of current research. This review seeks to establish a systematic framework to enhance the understanding of immune cell mechanisms involved in tumor metastasis.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{geng2026prometastatic,
  title = {{The pro-metastatic effect and mechanism of immune cells in tumor metastasis}},
  author = {Shitao Geng and Haihui Liang and Kun Lu and Changling Deng and Deqiang Bao and Hui Xu},
  journal = {Frontiers in Oncology},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.3389/fonc.2026.2007187},
  url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2026.2007187/full},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - The pro-metastatic effect and mechanism of immune cells in tumor metastasis
AU  - Shitao Geng
AU  - Haihui Liang
AU  - Kun Lu
AU  - Changling Deng
AU  - Deqiang Bao
AU  - Hui Xu
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/29
JO  - Frontiers in Oncology
DO  - 10.3389/fonc.2026.2007187
UR  - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2026.2007187/full
AB  - Tumor metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths, and its occurrence is not only determined by the invasive capacity of tumor cells themselves but is also profoundly influenced by the dynamic remodeling of the immune system. Recent studies over the past decade have shown that the immune mechanisms in tumor metastasis have expanded from the classical failure of immune surveillance to a systemic process involving immune cell functional remodeling, the construction of the pre-metastatic niche (PMN), and tumor immune editing. This review systematically reviews the tumor promoting mechanisms of various immune cells such as T cells, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs), regulatory B cells (Bregs), tumor-associated natural killer cells (TANKs) and dendritic cells (DCs) in each stage of metastasis, and critically discusses the limitations, conceptual controversies, and future directions of current research. This review seeks to establish a systematic framework to enhance the understanding of immune cell mechanisms involved in tumor metastasis.
SN  - 2234-943X
ER  -