Cell Trafficking at the Intersection of the Tumor–Immune Compartments

Migration is an essential cellular process that regulates human organ development and homeostasis as well as disease initiation and progression. In cancer, immune and tumor cell migration is strongly associated with immune cell infiltration, immune escape, and tumor cell metastasis, which ultimately account for more than 90% of cancer deaths. The biophysics and molecular regulation of the migration of cancer and immune cells have been extensively studied separately. However, accumulating evidence indicates that, in the tumor microenvironment, the motilities of immune and cancer cells are highly interdependent via secreted factors such as cytokines and chemokines. Tumor and immune cells constantly express these soluble factors, which produce a tightly intertwined regulatory network for these cells’ respective migration. A mechanistic understanding of the reciprocal regulation of soluble factor–mediated cell migration can provide critical information for the development of new biomarkers of tumor progression and of tumor response to immuno-oncological treatments. We review the biophysical and biomolecular basis for the migration of immune and tumor cells and their associated reciprocal regulatory network. We also describe ongoing attempts to translate this knowledge into the clinic.