Inflammasomes and cancer

Inflammasomes are intracellular multiproteic complexes involved in the production of inflammatory cytokines, thus playing a major role in inflammation. While their role in inflammatory diseases is well known, the crosstalk between inflammasomes and cancer is more complicated. These complexes and downstream cytokines may be involved in cancer incidence, progression, and response to treatment. However, depending on the context, inflammasomes can have pro- or antitumor effects. Thus, the knowledge of such complexes and their interaction with the tumor microenvironment should be clarified to propose potential therapeutic tools. Several clinical trials targeting inflammasomes or effector cytokines in association with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and/or immunotherapy are ongoing to prove the relevance of such combination of treatments.