Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are one of the most abundant immune cells in the tumor microenvironment, and they play a pivotal role in prompting the various tumor growth. However, the role of TAMs in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is controversial, because a few papers report that TAMs is beneficial to CRC patients. In this review, we discuss the good or bad roles of TAMs in CRC progression. Interestingly, recent studies provide strong evidence that TAMs facilitate CRC growth, but do not exert tumor suppressive activities. TAMs can stimulate CRC growth by altering extracellular matrix remodeling, tumor metabolism, angiogenesis, as well as the tumor microenvironment. Therefore, TAMs could serve as a target for CRC therapeutic treatment.
Keywords: Colorectal carcinoma; Extracellular matrix remodeling; Tumor angiogenesis; Tumor metabolism; Tumor-associated macrophages.
© 2018 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.