Abstract IA25: Hallmark capabilities modulated by the tumor microenvironment during tumor progression and adaptive resistance to therapy

Abstract The hallmarks of cancer constitute an organizing concept that may provide a rational basis for distilling the diversity and complexity of human cancers so as to better understand mechanisms of the disease and its manifestations. The integration of these hallmark capabilities in symptomatic disease involves multiple cell types populating the tumor microenvironment, including heterogeneous populations of cancer cells, and three prominent classes of stromal support cells - angiogenic vascular cells, cancer associated fibroblasts, and infiltrating immune cells. Dynamic interactions amongst these cell types convey hallmark capabilities whose roles and functional importance vary during multi-step tumorigenesis and tumor progression, and in the context of adaptive responses to hallmark-targeting therapies, suggesting potential benefits in multi-targeting the TME. A few examples from our research program will seek to be illustrative. Citation Format: Douglas Hanahan, Douglas Hanahan. Hallmark capabilities modulated by the tumor microenvironment during tumor progression and adaptive resistance to therapy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Function of Tumor Microenvironment in Cancer Progression; 2016 Jan 7–10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(15 Suppl):Abstract nr IA25.