Toll-like Receptors As Novel Therapeutic Targets For Lung Cancer

Lung cancer (LC) is an aggressive disease, which is the main maliganttumor that threats human health. Its incidence is high and have a poorprognosis when at a late stage. There are two main types of lung cancer: thesmall cell lung cancer(SCLC) and the non-small cell lung cancer（NSCLC）.In addition to improving diagnostics, it is necessary to develop moreeffective treatments for LC. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) connect the innate tothe adaptive immune system,which is one of major pattern recognitionreceptors(PRRs). With the development of further research about TLRs inimmune response, the tumor microenvironment and the tumor immuneescape concept putting forward, people gradually concern about the role ofTLRs in tumor. Here, we describe the paradoxical roles of TLR signaling inthe progression of cancer and put forward that the activation of TLRs intumor growth is like a "double-edged sword". With particular emphasis onlung cancer, we discuss the need to consider the signaling details of TLRsand associated proteins in the multiple cell types present in the tumor milieuto achieve safe and effective design of TLR-based cancer therapies.