ArticleCancer science2021
Role of tumor-associated macrophages at the invasive front in human colorectal cancer progression.
Article in Cancer science, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 43 papers.
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Who cites it
43 citing papers in PubMed, 77 citations in OpenAlex.
- M2 macrophage associated genes shape prognosis and tumor progression in human colorectal cancer.iScience · 2026Article
- Tumour immune contexture and immune evasion in sporadic and Lynch syndrome-associated microsatellite unstable colorectal cancers.British journal of cancer · 2026Article
- Prognostic value and predictive biomarkers of synergistic interaction between tumor-associated macrophages and cancer stem cells in colorectal cancer.Molecular and clinical oncology · 2026Article
- Key immune cells in the tumor immune microenvironment of colorectal cancer: Roles and research advances (Review).Oncology reports · 2026Review
- A nine-gene nicotine-metabolism signature predicts prognosis and characterizes the immune landscape in colon adenocarcinoma.Journal of gastrointestinal oncology · 2026Article
- Appendectomy and colorectal cancer: a mini review from the perspective of gut microbiota and mucosal immunity.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2026Review
- Macrophages in Colorectal Cancer: from Normal Mucosa to Distant Metastasis: Beyond the M1/M2 Paradigm.Journal of Cancer · 2026Review
- Tumor-associated macrophages in cancer: from mechanisms to application.Molecular biomedicine · 2025Review
- Dual roles and therapeutic targeting of tumor-associated macrophages in tumor microenvironments.Signal transduction and targeted therapy · 2025Review
- Targeting immune microenvironment in cervical cancer: current research and advances.Journal of translational medicine · 2025Review
- Regulation and Function of Tumor-Associated Macrophages (TAMs) in Colorectal Cancer (CRC): The Role of the SRIF System in Macrophage Regulation.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Article
- Transferrin receptor uptakes iron from tumor-associated neutrophils to regulate invasion patterns of OSCC.Cancer immunology, immunotherapy : CII · 2025Article
- The role of tumor-associated macrophages and PD-1/PD-L1 networking in colorectal cancer.Contemporary oncology (Poznan, Poland) · 2025Review
- Tumor-associated macrophage expression in colorectal adenomas and carcinomas: relationship toFrontiers in oncology · 2025Article
- Unveiling the dual role of circulating tumor cells in colorectal cancer immunotherapy: a comprehensive review of biomarker utility and immune microenvironment crosstalk.Frontiers in immunology · 2025Review
- Natural compounds modulate the mechanism of action of tumour-associated macrophages against colorectal cancer: a review.Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology · 2024Review
- Research progress of tumor-associated macrophages in immune checkpoint inhibitor tolerance in colorectal cancer.World journal of gastrointestinal oncology · 2024Review
- Correlating Ultrastructural Changes in the Invasion Area of Colorectal Cancer with CT and MRI Imaging.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024Review
- Immune cell topography of head and neck cancer.Journal for immunotherapy of cancer · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Macrophages are an essential component of antitumor activity; however, the role of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains controversial. Here, we elucidated the role of TAMs in CRC progression, especially at the early stage. We assessed the TAM number, phenotype, and distribution in 53 patients with colorectal neoplasia, including intramucosal neoplasia, submucosal invasive colorectal cancer (SM-CRC), and advanced cancer, using double immunofluorescence for CD68 and CD163. Next, we focused on the invasive front in SM-CRC and association between TAMs and clinicopathological features including lymph node metastasis, which were evaluated in 87 SM-CRC clinical specimens. The number of M2 macrophages increased with tumor progression and dynamic changes were observed with respect to the number and phenotype of TAMs at the invasive front, especially at the stage of submucosal invasion. A high M2 macrophage count at the invasive front was correlated with lymphovascular invasion, low histological differentiation, and lymph node metastasis; a low M1 macrophage count at the invasive front was correlated with lymph node metastasis. Furthermore, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that the M2/M1 ratio was a better predictor of the risk of lymph node metastasis than the pan-, M1, or M2 macrophage counts at the invasive front. These results suggested that TAMs at the invasive front might play a role in CRC progression, especially at the early stages. Therefore, evaluating the TAM phenotype, number, and distribution may be a potential predictor of metastasis, including lymph node metastasis, and TAMs may be a potential CRC therapeutic target.
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