This is a Letter discussing a recently published article. More >

The article by Piffkó A et al. elucidates the double-edged sword role of radiotherapy in cancer treatment. Radiotherapy stimulates tumor cells to secrete amphiregulin (AREG), which in turn activates EGFR$^+$ tumor-associated mononuclear phagocytes (MNPs). This activation feeds back into the EGFR signaling pathway, impairing the anti-tumor functions of MNPs. Moreover, AREG upregulates the expression of the immune checkpoint protein CD47 in tumor cells, thereby enabling them to evade immune-mediated phagocytosis. These insights hold important implications for clinical trial design and for optimizing therapeutic strategies. More >