Turning Cold Tumors Hot by Blocking TGF-β.

Novel immune therapeutic tools are rapidly expanding the anticancer arsenal. Despite this progress, patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) that spreads to vital parts of the body still have a dismal outcome. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) plays a pivotal role in the development of CRC and metastasis. Important new work by Tauriello and colleagues has revealed that inhibition of TGF-β prevents tumor metastasis by enhancing a cytotoxic T cell response, suggesting that TGF-β inhibition is a promising pro-immunogenic therapy.