Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40936918›Full record

ReviewFrontiers in immunology2025

Progress in targeting tumor-associated macrophages in cancer immunotherapy.

Wanqiu Xia, Xianghan Zhang, Yaru Wang, Zihan Huang, Xinyu Guo, Lei Fang

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Frontiers in immunology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 31 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
31citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

31 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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  5. Engineering Oncolytic Virus-Armed Macrophages for Enhanced Cancer Immunotherapy.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026
    Article
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  7. CD172aBMC gastroenterology · 2026
    Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Wanqiu Xia *Department of Gynaecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
Xianghan Zhang *Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Yaru WangDepartment of Gynaecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
Zihan HuangDepartment of Gynaecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
Xinyu GuoDepartment of General Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
Lei FangDepartment of Gynaecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are central to tumor progression, immune suppression, and resistance to therapy, making them promising targets in cancer immunotherapy. TAMs exhibit functional heterogeneity, polarizing into pro-tumor (M2-like) and anti-tumor (M1-like) phenotypes under different microenvironmental cues. M2-like TAMs promote immune evasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis, while M1-like TAMs enhance antitumor immunity. Combining TAM-targeted therapies with immune checkpoint inhibitors is also emerging as a potential strategy to enhance immunotherapy efficacy. This review outlines TAM-mediated immunosuppression mechanisms, including the secretion of VEGF, TGF-β, and immune checkpoint molecules like PD-L1. We also summarize the current strategies targeting TAMs, such as blocking the CD47/SIRPα axis, using CD40 agonists, and PI3Kγ inhibitors, which have shown promise in preclinical studies. Overall, this review underscores TAMs as pivotal therapeutic targets and proposes future directions to optimize combinatorial immunotherapy for enhanced clinical outcomes.

Indexed as

ImmunotherapyNeoplasmsTumor-Associated MacrophagesAnimalsHumansImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsTumor EscapeTumor MicroenvironmentImmune Checkpoint Inhibitorsimmune checkpointsimmunosuppressionimmunotherapytreatment resistanceTumor-associated macrophagestumor microenvironment

Identifiers

PMID40936918
PMCPMC12420277

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.