Role of chemokines and chemokine receptors in cancer

Abstract

Chemokines (CKs) are small chemoattractant cytokines which regulate the process of cellular trafficking. Due to their key role in determinant biological functions associated with tumor development, they are ideal targets for investigating tumor progression, prognosis, therapy, and susceptibility. In this chapter, the mechanism through which chemokines control the different stages of oncogenesis is described. At first, a detailed description on the role of these molecules in tumor cell proliferation, survival, and metastasis implantation is provided. Then their role in the modulation of specific and innate immune responses against the tumor, along with their impact on the tumor prognosis, is discussed. Finally, we extensively reported on various studies of chemokine gene polymorphisms associated with clinical prognosis and commented on the use of chemokine-derived molecules as anticancer therapeutic tools.