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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2022 Sep 1.
Published in final edited form as: Cancer Res. 2022 Mar 1;82(5):885–899. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-21-1230

Figure 7. Remodeling of cancer cell populations, stroma, and immune cells during dormancy.

Figure 7.

There is a dramatic remodeling of cancer cells, stroma, and immune cells during tumor dormancy and long-term DT, as well as ECM which have been described previously (18). Cancer cells organize into duct-shape structures and remain quiescent. During dormancy, there is an increase of T cells (CD8 T cells) and TLS-like bodies, B cells, NK cells, monocytes, undifferentiated macrophages (undiff. MQ) and TAMs, DCs, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells and there is a decrease of differentiated MQ (MQ), neutrophils (or MDSCs), and Tregs. During long-term dormancy, cancer cells evade immune surveillance by dramatically decreasing T cells, B cells, and NK cells, and increasing monocytes, neutrophils, undiff. MQ, TAMs, ILC2s, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells. When tumors relapse, they acquire an almost similar immune environment compared to the primary cancer with increased numbers of differentiated MQ, neutrophils, ILC1, and T regs and decreased numbers of active CD8 T cells, NK cells, and DCs.