Tumor immune escape happens when tumor cells are not detected, recognized, and killed by the body’s immune system. It is often under the protection of the tumor microenvironment, which refers to a complex network composed of tumor cells, immune cells, endothelial cells, stromal cells, fibroblasts and various cytokines. By interacting with stromal cells and immune cells, or by secreting cytokines, tumor cells can get rid of the recognition and attack, and suppress the immune response of the host, so as to transform the tumor microenvironment into a microenvironment conducive to tumor survival, growth and uncontrollable proliferation, eventually causing immune escape of tumor cells.[1, 2] Among them, macrophages, dendritic cells, regulatory T cells, myeloid-derived suppressor cells and NK cells are the main immune regulatory cells. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), widely used by patients with cancers in China, can reverse the immune escape of tumor by modifying the microenvironment and enhancing the function of immune cells.
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