Changes of immune microenvironment and progresses in immunotherapy of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a common malignancy of the digestive system. It is characterized by a high invasiveness, easy metastasis and pronounced resistance to radiation and targeted therapies, which are thought to be related with the immune microenvironment. Cancer cells, pancreatic stellate cells, immune cells and extracellular matrix, all these constitute the immune microenvironment which inhibits the immune response, promotes cancer growth, and helps it escape from immune surveillance. Therefore, immunotherapy should be combined with targeted therapy and surgery in the clinical treatment. Together, immunotherapy could improve the immune microenvironment and establish a long-term anti-tumor immune response, so as to eventually cure pancreatic cancer. Key words: Pancreatic cancer; Immune microenvironment; Immunotherapy