肿瘤进展受到当地微环境的调节。这个环境中有很多免疫细胞，而巨噬细胞是其中最丰富的一种。临床相关数据和大量针对小鼠癌症模型的预临床研究表明，肿瘤相关巨噬细胞（TAMs）在促进癌症方面起到了作用。在原发性肿瘤中，TAMs促进了肿瘤细胞的侵袭和内皮细胞穿透，增加了肿瘤干细胞的存活率并诱导血管生成。在转移部位，转移相关的巨噬细胞促进了细胞外液化、肿瘤细胞的存活和持续增长，同时在某些情况下维持肿瘤细胞的休眠。在原发性和转移部位，TAMs抑制了细胞毒T和自然杀伤细胞的活动，而这些细胞有潜力消灭肿瘤。这些活动表明TAMs将成为治疗干预的主要目标。在这篇观点文章中，我们按时间顺序探讨了我们对TAM生物学的理解，将其放置在巨噬细胞生物学的重要推动进步的背景下。©2023年Springer Nature Limited。

Tumour progression is modulated by the local microenvironment. This environment is populated by many immune cells, of which macrophages are among the most abundant. Clinical correlative data and a plethora of preclinical studies in mouse models of cancers have shown that tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) play a cancer-promoting role. Within the primary tumour, TAMs promote tumour cell invasion and intravasation and tumour stem cell viability and induce angiogenesis. At the metastatic site, metastasis-associated macrophages promote extravasation, tumour cell survival and persistent growth, as well as maintain tumour cell dormancy in some contexts. In both the primary and metastatic sites, TAMs are suppressive to the activities of cytotoxic T and natural killer cells that have the potential to eradicate tumours. Such activities suggest that TAMs will be a major target for therapeutic intervention. In this Perspective article, we chronologically explore the evolution of our understanding of TAM biology put into the context of major enabling advances in macrophage biology.© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.