Interplay between inflammation and cancer

Our plain-English summary of Interplay between inflammation and cancer, by R. Khandia, A. Munjal (Advances in Protein Chemistry and Structural Biology, 2020).

The study

• Authors: R. Khandia, A. Munjal
• Journal: Advances in Protein Chemistry and Structural Biology
• Published: 2020;119:199-245
• Type of article: Review
• Cited by: 229 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher

Abstract

During the 19th century, for the first time, the linkage between inflammation and cancer was established. Inflammatory microenvironment is an essential component of the tumor microenvironment. Chronic inflammation due to persistent infection due to the microbes, viruses, helminths or constant exposure to non-infectious factors like smoke, silica or asbestos eventually might result in carcinogenesis. In tumor microenvironment, various inflammatory cells such as T lymphocytes (occasionally B cells), dendritic cells, macrophages, monocytes, neutrophils and natural killer (NK) cells are present. As a mediator of immune surveillance and host defense TRAIL cytokines are produced which upon binding with death receptors (DRs) initiate a cascade of apoptotic pathways. Anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, celecoxib, diclofenac, diflunisal and ibuprofen etc. are being used against cancer, indicating the interplay between both the mechanisms. A deeper understanding of common pathways implicated between both the inflammation and cancer may pave the way to fight against both of these deleterious ailments.

Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In plain English

This article was a narrative review of published research on links between inflammation and cancer; it reported no new study. The authors described how chronic inflammation from infections, or from non-infectious agents, might eventually lead to cancer. Asbestos appeared only briefly: the authors listed it, with smoke and silica, among non-infectious causes of chronic inflammation, and presented no asbestos exposure data. They reviewed immune cells found in tumors, such as macrophages, neutrophils, dendritic cells and natural killer cells, and signaling molecules such as IL-6, IL-8 and NF-kB. Citing other research, they listed mesothelioma (type not specified) among tumors with higher IL-8 expression. They tabulated patents, one described as managing an asbestos-related disorder. They also cited epidemiological studies reporting lower cancer incidence after long-term use of anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin. The authors concluded that by curbing chronic inflammation, cancer may to some extent be controlled.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: narrative review of published laboratory, animal and clinical research (no original study)
• Who was studied: no study population; the review summarized other researchers' work on tumors, immune cells, cell lines and animal models
• Exposure: Inflammation in general, from infectious agents (bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoans, helminths) and non-infectious agents. Asbestos was named only as one non-infectious trigger of chronic inflammation, with no fiber type, job or dose given.
• Main results:
  • The authors stated that constant exposure to non-infectious factors such as smoke, silica or asbestos might eventually result in cancer. No asbestos data were presented.
  • The review described the tumor microenvironment as containing tumor cells, stroma, blood vessels and various inflammatory cells.
  • Citing other research, the review listed mesothelioma among tumor types with significantly higher IL-8 expression.
  • In a table of patents, one compound (5-substituted quinazolinone derivatives) was described as able to manage an asbestos-related disorder, among other conditions.
  • The authors cited epidemiological studies reporting decreased cancer incidence after long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that inflammation and cancer are tightly interlinked, and that by curbing chronic inflammation cancer may be controlled to some extent.

Topics

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Inflammation, Tumor Microenvironment, Chronic Inflammation, Carcinogenesis, Macrophage, Cytokine.

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