Local and Systemic Factors Impacting the Tumor-Immune Microenvironment

Anti-tumor immune responses can be influenced by a variety of factors ranging from the origin of the cancer cell type, the tissue the tumor arises from, but also from the activation status of the immune system.

Response rates to immunotherapeutic interventions differ dramatically between cancer types ranging from approx. 50% in melanoma to 25% in lung cancer to almost 0% in pancreatic cancer. While a lack of response might in part be due to a lack of T cell infiltration, this does not fully explain the differences observed between different cancer types. By analyzing human samples and using genetically-engineered mouse models of pancreatic adenoma, non-small cell lung cancer and skin cancer, we aim to further understand the tumor-derived, tissue macro-environment or systemic environmentally triggered factors that predominantly influence the anti-tumor immunity within the tumor microenvironment.