Oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes had been traditionally studied in the context of cell proliferation, differentiation, senescence, and survival, four relatively cell-autonomous processes. Consequently, in the late ’80s-early ’90s, neoplastic growth was described largely as an imbalance between net cell accumulation and loss, brought about through mutations in cancer genes. In the last ten years, a more holistic understanding of cancer has slowly emerged, stressing the importance of interactions between neoplastic and various stromal components: extracellular matrix, basement membranes, fibroblasts, endothelial cells of blood and lymphatic vessels, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, etc. The commonly held view is that changes in tumor microenvironment are “soft-wired”, i.e., epigenetic in nature and often reversible. Yet, there exists a large body of evidence suggesting that well-known mutations in cancer genes profoundly affect tumor milieu. In fact, these non-cell-autonomous changes might be one of the primary reasons such mutations are preserved in late-stage tumors.

It is well established that the tumor microenvironment(TME) plays a pivotal role in tumor initiation, progression and therapeutic resistance by creating a dynamic interaction with cancer cells. TME is comprised of extracellular matrix (ECM), growth factors, nutrients, blood and lymphatic vessels, and non-cancer stromal cells, which serve as a sustained niche for cancer cells to proliferate and metastasize. Notably, various cellular components in TME, including endothelial cells, fibroblasts, pericytes, adipocytes, immune cells, cancer stem cells, and vasculature, could promote tumor’s immune evasion and growth.

Peritoneal Tumor Microenvironment of Cancers on Cancer Hallmarks: Perspectives of Translational Medicine provides readers with cutting-edge knowledge on tumor microenvironment. By exploring multiple aspects on tumor microenvironment, it gives an integrative insight on cancer diseases ranging from diagnosis to prediction of prognosis and individualized treatment.The book discusses topics such as clinical significance of tumor microenvironment, tumorigenesis and cancer progression, histopathological features of cancer in peritoneum, immune cells in tumor, exosomal cell-to-cell interactions, and therapeutic approaches to target tumor microenvironment. Additionally, it discusses tumor evolution during chemotherapy and metastasis, and future perspectives on identification and validation of biomarkers using liquid biopsy.This book is a valuable resource for cancer researchers, oncologists, medical doctors, and several members of biomedical field who want to understand the complex microenvironment of peritoneal tumors. - Discusses how to apply tumor microenvironment knowledge to diagnosis, prediction of prognosis, and individualized treatment of cancer - Provides readers with up-to-date knowledge on translational medicine, focusing on bench-to-bedside approach for cancer treatment and diagnosis - Presents collaborative research works from the perspectives of medical doctors, cancer researchers, basic biological scientists, and bioinformaticians to provide integrative insights on tumor microenvironment