Tumor-Associated Macrophages: Frontier Exploration and New Research Trends of Bladder Cancer Therapy Targets

膀胱癌是泌尿系统中最常见的恶性肿瘤之一，尽管现有的治疗手段包括手术、化疗和免疫疗法等，但晚期膀胱癌患者的总体生存率仍然较低。近年来，肿瘤微环境成为研究热点，尤其是肿瘤相关巨噬细胞在膀胱癌进展中的作用。肿瘤相关巨噬细胞在肿瘤微环境中通过促进肿瘤生长、转移和免疫逃逸，显著影响膀胱癌的预后。本文综述了肿瘤相关巨噬细胞的来源、极化及其对膀胱癌的影响，重点探讨了肿瘤相关巨噬细胞作为抗肿瘤免疫治疗靶点的潜力。未来的研究应进一步探索肿瘤相关巨噬细胞在膀胱癌中的具体机制，并开发更有效的靶向治疗方案，以改善患者的预后和生活质量。Bladder cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in the urinary system. Although existing treatment methods include surgery, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, the overall survival rate of patients with advanced bladder cancer remains low. In recent years, the tumor microenvironment has become a research hotspot, particularly the role of tumor-associated macrophages in the progression of bladder cancer. Tumor-associated macrophages significantly affect the prognosis of bladder cancer by promoting tumor growth, metastasis, and immune escape within the tumor microenvironment. This article reviews the origin, polarization of tumor-associated macrophages, and their impacts on bladder cancer, with a focus on discussing the potential of tumor-associated macrophages as targets for anti-tumor immunotherapy. Future research should further explore the specific mechanisms of tumor-associated macrophages in bladder cancer and develop more effective targeted therapy regimens to improve patients’ prognosis and quality of life.