Research Progress of Macrophage Polarization in the Treatment of Gastric Cancer

Gastric Carcinoma (GC) is one of the most common and lethal digestive tract malignancies worldwide, with clinical manifestations including abdominal pain, anorexia, weight loss and fatigue. Despite continuous advancements in diagnosis and treatment methods, the survival rate of patients remains unsatisfactory, and the complex pathogenesis has not been fully elucidated. In recent years, the role of macrophage polarization in tumorigenesis and development has received increasing attention. Studies have shown that macrophage polarization imbalance (particularly the transition from M1 type to M2 type) is closely related to the occurrence, progression and poor prognosis of gastric cancer. Targeting and regulating macrophage polarization, especially reversing the tumor-promoting M2 phenotype of Tumor-Associated Macrophages (TAMs), has become an emerging strategy for the treatment of gastric cancer. This article aims to systematically review the concept of macrophage polarization, its mechanism of action at different stages of the “inflammation-cancer” transformation of gastric cancer, and the research progress and challenges of targeted therapy strategies for gastric cancer based on the regulation of macrophage polarization.