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-beta (TGF-beta) plays a pivotal role in the development of CRC and metastasis. Important new work by Tauriello and colleagues has revealed that inhibition of TGF-beta prevents tumor metastasis by enhancing a cytotoxic T cell response, suggesting that TGF-beta inhibition is a promising pro-immunogenic therapy.