Tumor–Immune Cell Interactions in Cancer Progression

The tumor microenvironment is a complex ecosystem where immune cell components play a pivotal role in cancer progression. Aberrant immune responses within the tumor microenvironment are critical in tumor initiation, progression, metastasis, and prognosis, highlighting the urgent need to unravel tumor-immune interactions for improved therapies. This commentary reviews recent advancements in understanding tumor-immune interactions, focusing on both intrinsic factors, like cancer genetics and epigenetics, and extrinsic factors, such as metabolic reprogramming. We also examine key mechanisms of tumor-immune cross-talk, including exosome-mediated communication, liquid-liquid phase separation, and circulating tumor cells. Furthermore, we propose future research directions to improve strategies for combating cancer metastasis and enhancing therapeutic efficacy.