Tissue-resident memory cells in antitumoral immunity and cancer immunotherapy.

Overview

As cancer immunotherapy evolves, tissue-resident memory (T_RM) cells remain key contributors to the antitumoral immune response due to their ability to mediate local tumor control, high expression of immune checkpoints, potential to respond to immunotherapy, and location across tissue sites where distal tumor metastases occur. This review synthesizes recent findings on the biology of T_RM cells, their role in cancer, and their interactions with the tumor microenvironment. We also identify several critical research gaps, such as how mechanistic interrogation of T_RM cell function is required for integration into therapeutics, proposing a focused research agenda to better exploit their potential.