Role of Igf-Induced Tumour-Associated Macrophage (TAM) in Breast Cancer: Decoding the Signalling Cascade and Possible Target

Abstract

Breast cancer (BC) is a multifactorial disease with a poor prognosis. Tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs), also known as TAMs, play a significant role in promoting tumour growth, facilitating angiogenesis, participating in tissue remodelling processes, and suppressing the adaptive immune response within breast tumours. TAMs usually located within the microenvironment of solid tumours or infiltrating the tumour's tissues, and their presence in BC is linked to an unfavourable clinical prognosis. The IGF signalling system, comprising IGF1, IGFBPs, and IGFR1, plays a key role in cancer development and progression, and its association with TAM in breast cancer has been extensively investigated. In this review, we delve into the interaction between TAM and IGF1 signalling in BC. We also proposed the concept of M2 polarization - as a possible alternative to cancer chemotherapy.

Keywords: Breast cancer, Insulin-like growth factor, Macrophage polarization, Macrophage, Tumor-associated macrophage, Tumour microenvironment, TAM.

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