Tumour-associated macrophages are an essential component of the tumour microenvironment and have a role in the orchestration of angiogenesis, extracellular matrix remodelling, cancer cell proliferation, metastasis and immunosuppression, as well as in resistance to chemotherapeutic agents and checkpoint blockade immunotherapy. Conversely, when appropriately activated, macrophages can mediate phagocytosis of cancer cells and cytotoxic tumour killing, and engage in effective bidirectional interactions with components of the innate and adaptive immune system. Therefore, they have emerged as therapeutic targets in cancer therapy. Macrophage-targeting strategies include inhibitors of cytokines and chemokines involved in the recruitment and polarization of tumour-promoting myeloid cells as well as activators of their antitumorigenic and immunostimulating functions. Early clinical trials suggest that targeting negative regulators (checkpoints) of myeloid cell function indeed has antitumor potential. Finally, given the continuous recruitment of myelomonocytic cells into tumour tissues, macrophages are candidates for cell therapy with the development of chimeric antigen receptor effector cells. Macrophage-centred therapeutic strategies have the potential to complement, and synergize with, currently available tools in the oncology armamentarium.

肿瘤相关巨噬细胞是肿瘤微环境的重要组成部分，在血管生成、细胞外基质重塑、癌细胞增殖、转移和免疫抑制以及对化疗药物和检查点阻断免疫疗法的耐药性方面发挥作用。相反，当适当激活时，巨噬细胞可以介导癌细胞的吞噬作用和细胞毒性肿瘤杀伤，并与先天性和适应性免疫系统的成分进行有效的双向相互作用。因此，它们已成为癌症治疗中的治疗靶点。巨噬细胞靶向策略包括参与肿瘤促进骨髓细胞募集和极化的细胞因子和趋化因子的抑制剂，以及它们的抗肿瘤发生和免疫刺激功能的激活剂。早期临床试验表明，靶向骨髓细胞功能的负调节因子（检查点）确实具有抗肿瘤潜力。最后，鉴于骨髓单核细胞不断募集到肿瘤组织中，巨噬细胞是随着嵌合抗原受体效应细胞的发展而进行细胞治疗的候选者。以巨噬细胞为中心的治疗策略有可能补充和协同肿瘤学设备中目前可用的工具。早期临床试验表明，靶向骨髓细胞功能的负调节因子（检查点）确实具有抗肿瘤潜力。最后，鉴于骨髓单核细胞不断募集到肿瘤组织中，巨噬细胞是随着嵌合抗原受体效应细胞的发展而进行细胞治疗的候选者。以巨噬细胞为中心的治疗策略有可能补充和协同肿瘤学设备中目前可用的工具。早期临床试验表明，靶向骨髓细胞功能的负调节因子（检查点）确实具有抗肿瘤潜力。最后，鉴于骨髓单核细胞不断募集到肿瘤组织中，巨噬细胞是随着嵌合抗原受体效应细胞的发展而进行细胞治疗的候选者。以巨噬细胞为中心的治疗策略有可能补充和协同肿瘤学设备中目前可用的工具。