1.Mechanisms of Immune Evasion in the Dual Tumor Microenvironment of Ovarian Cancer and Targeted Therapeutic Strategies
Karima ABDUGHENI· ; Junxiu LIU
Journal of Sun Yat-sen University(Medical Sciences) 2026;47(5):767-779
Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), particularly high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC), commonly presents with intraperitoneal dissemination, peritoneal implants, and malignant ascites. The objective response rate to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) monotherapy is approximately 8%-15%. A key underlying reason is that the distinctive intraperitoneal spread of EOC places tumor cells simultaneously within both a “solid” microenvironment (formed by solid lesions/peritoneal implants) and a “liquid” microenvironment (represented by malignant ascites); these two compartments continuously interact through cellular trafficking, exosome-mediated transfer, cytokine diffusion, and lipid metabolic exchange, collectively shaping the typical “cold tumor” phenotype. Centered on this solid-liquid dual microenvironment, this review dissects, at the cellular level, the immunosuppressive network established by M2-polarized tumor-associated macrophages, enriched regulatory T cells, expanded myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and dysfunctional dendritic/NK and CD8+ T cells; and elucidates, at the molecular level, the central roles of IL-4/IL-6/TGF-β/VEGF cytokine axis imbalance, lipid metabolic reprogramming, lactate accumulation, and impaired antigen presentation in driving T-cell exhaustion and platinum resistance. On the therapeutic front, integrating the latest evidence from KEYNOTE-B96, DUO-O, FIRST/ENGOT-OV44, ATHENA-COMBO, MIRASOL, OVHIPEC-1 and PIPAC studies, this review summarizes the evidence supporting immune-combination regimens, anti-angiogenic agents, folate receptor alpha antibody-drug conjugates, hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, and local intraperitoneal delivery from the dual perspectives of systemic immune modulation and local microenvironment intervention. The dual-microenvironment framework may help explain the poor response to immunotherapy and inform rational combination strategies in EOC; however, clinical translation should be based on precise stratification according to histology, BRCA/homologous recombination deficiency status, PD-L1 and folate receptor alpha expression, and spatial immune phenotypes.
2.Mechanisms of Immune Evasion in the Dual Tumor Microenvironment of Ovarian Cancer and Targeted Therapeutic Strategies
Karima ABDUGHENI· ; Junxiu LIU
Journal of Sun Yat-sen University(Medical Sciences) 2026;47(5):767-779
Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), particularly high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC), commonly presents with intraperitoneal dissemination, peritoneal implants, and malignant ascites. The objective response rate to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) monotherapy is approximately 8%-15%. A key underlying reason is that the distinctive intraperitoneal spread of EOC places tumor cells simultaneously within both a “solid” microenvironment (formed by solid lesions/peritoneal implants) and a “liquid” microenvironment (represented by malignant ascites); these two compartments continuously interact through cellular trafficking, exosome-mediated transfer, cytokine diffusion, and lipid metabolic exchange, collectively shaping the typical “cold tumor” phenotype. Centered on this solid-liquid dual microenvironment, this review dissects, at the cellular level, the immunosuppressive network established by M2-polarized tumor-associated macrophages, enriched regulatory T cells, expanded myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and dysfunctional dendritic/NK and CD8+ T cells; and elucidates, at the molecular level, the central roles of IL-4/IL-6/TGF-β/VEGF cytokine axis imbalance, lipid metabolic reprogramming, lactate accumulation, and impaired antigen presentation in driving T-cell exhaustion and platinum resistance. On the therapeutic front, integrating the latest evidence from KEYNOTE-B96, DUO-O, FIRST/ENGOT-OV44, ATHENA-COMBO, MIRASOL, OVHIPEC-1 and PIPAC studies, this review summarizes the evidence supporting immune-combination regimens, anti-angiogenic agents, folate receptor alpha antibody-drug conjugates, hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, and local intraperitoneal delivery from the dual perspectives of systemic immune modulation and local microenvironment intervention. The dual-microenvironment framework may help explain the poor response to immunotherapy and inform rational combination strategies in EOC; however, clinical translation should be based on precise stratification according to histology, BRCA/homologous recombination deficiency status, PD-L1 and folate receptor alpha expression, and spatial immune phenotypes.

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail