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Dormant tumour cells, their niches and the influence of immunity

Nature Cell Biology volume 20, pages 1240–1249 (2018)Cite this article

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Abstract

Despite increased focus on the clinical relevance of dormant metastatic disease, our understanding of dormant niches, mechanisms underlying emergence from dormancy, and the immune system’s role in this phenomenon, remains in its infancy. Here, we discuss key work that has shaped our current understanding of these topics. Because tumour dormancy provides a unique therapeutic window to prevent metastatic disease, we discuss on-going clinical trials and weigh the potential for immunotherapy to eradicate dormant disease.

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Fig. 1: Proposed mechanisms of quiescence and immune evasion in dormancy.
Fig. 2: Clinical trial design for the specific targeting of dormant disease.

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Acknowledgements

S.R.R. is funded in part by the NIH/NCI (R01 CA114536). C.M.G. is funded by the National Breast Cancer Coalition’s Artemis Project, an Era of Hope Award from the United States Department of Defence Breast Cancer Research Program (W841XWH-15-1-0201), the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (IIDRP-17-001), the W.M. Keck Foundation and the NIH/NCI (U54CA193461-01).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Public Health Sciences Division/Translational Research Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA

    Erica T. Goddard & Cyrus M. Ghajar

  2. Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Ivana Bozic

  3. Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA

    Stanley R. Riddell

  4. Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA

    Cyrus M. Ghajar

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  1. Erica T. Goddard
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All authors contributed to the writing and editing of the manuscript, and to preparation of the figures.

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Correspondence to Cyrus M. Ghajar.

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Goddard, E.T., Bozic, I., Riddell, S.R. et al. Dormant tumour cells, their niches and the influence of immunity. Nat Cell Biol 20, 1240–1249 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-018-0214-0

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