Insights into Tumor-Associated Tertiary Lymphoid Structures: Novel Targets for Antitumor Immunity and Cancer Immunotherapy

Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) are ectopic lymphoid aggregates that phenotypically resemble conventional secondary lymphoid organs and are commonly found at sites of chronic inflammation. They are also found in a wide variety of primary and metastatic human tumors. The presence of tumor-associated TLS (TA-TLS) is associated with prolonged patient survival, higher rates of disease-free survival, and a favorable response to current cancer therapies. However, the immune responses that occur in these structures, and how they contribute to improved clinical outcomes, remain incompletely understood. In addition, it is unknown how heterogeneity in TA-TLS cellular composition, structural organization, and anatomic location influences their functionality and prognostic significance. Understanding more about TA-TLS development, formation, and function may offer new therapeutic options to modulate antitumor immunity.