The Tumor Microenvironment

Review From Last Class

• The Hallmarks of Cancer, or common properties of cancer, can be summed up as follows:

  • Cancer arises from germline (inherited) or somatic (after birth) mutations in cells. These mutations lead to rapid growth, dysregulation of the cell cycle

  • Cancer is a disease of cells, which have varying degrees of immunogenicity (ability to be recognized as foreign by the immune system)

  • Many simultaneous and stepwise factors are necessary for cancer to arise

  • The tumor microenvironment is hypoxic (lacking oxygen) and has cytokines and chemokines that weaken the potential for an immune respone

  • Energy metabolism in cancer is typically glycolysis instead of oxidative phosphorylation (TCA cycle)