Narrative review of cytokines and cell surface markers in the tumor microenvironment of stage I lung cancer

Abstract

: The possibility to apply the knowledge of cell surface markers and cytokines in the tumor microenvironment of early lung cancer (LC) in clinical practice, is still a developing facet of oncological medicine, but may possibly be a very fertile, not wholly explored facet. Although early diagnosis of LC through the efforts of LC screening has served an important role in decreasing LC mortality, cancer recurrence is also an equally important clinical concern. Cell surface markers and cytokines in the tumor microenvironment of LC may serve a clinical prognostic purpose. This is specifically with regard to risk stratification and subsequent identification of patients that may most benefit from early postoperative adjuvant therapy, based on their risk of recurrence. These molecules could also potentially serve as therapeutic targets. However, the roles and effects of various cytokines and cell surface markers in the immune microenvironment (IME) of LC and other cancers, as well as the interplay between these molecules and infiltrating immune cells, have not been fully elaborated, and there remains work to be done in this respect. This article attempts to discuss some of these cell surface markers and cytokines that may, in the future, serve as prognosticators for the early LC, possibly in the forms of stratification scores and models.