The Role of Innate Immune Cells in Tumor Invasion and Metastasis

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Tumor invasion and metastasis are one of the main reasons patients succumb to cancer. In this review, we summarize recent studies which provide evidence on the involvement of cells of the innate immune system and their function in invasion and metastasis. ABSTRACT: Metastasis is considered one of the hallmarks of cancer and enhanced tumor invasion and metastasis is significantly associated with cancer mortality. Metastasis occurs via a series of integrated processes involving tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment. The innate immune components of the microenvironment have been shown to engage with tumor cells and not only regulate their proliferation and survival, but also modulate the surrounding environment to enable cancer progression. In the era of immune therapies, it is critical to understand how different innate immune cell populations are involved in this process. This review summarizes recent literature describing the roles of innate immune cells during the tumor metastatic cascade.