MICROFLUIDIC MULTI-FACETED BLADDER TUMOR MODEL FOR BIOFILM POTENTIATES CANCER-PROMOTING EFFECTS

We developed a novel microfluidic bladder tumor model (TAMPIEB) explores how bacterial biofilms impact tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) within the tumor microenvironment (TME).Our results demonstrates that biofilms promote a phenotypic shift in TAMs from a pro-inflammatory M1-like to a pro-tumor M2-like state, influencing cancer progression by reducing apoptosis susceptibility, enhancing cell viability, and encouraging metastasis.This highlights that extratumoral bacterial biofilms can protect tumors from immune responses, suggesting potential strategies for combined anti-biofilm and immunotherapy in clinical settings.This provides valuable insights into the role of biofilm-induced inflammation in tumor dynamics.