Abstract

The tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) critically influences cancer progression and determining therapeutic response. As immunotherapies continue to improve and reshape cancer treatments, there is a need for tools that can more efficiently and accurately assess and monitor the TIME. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), especially small EVs (sEVs), are lipid-bound nanoparticles that carry proteins, DNA, and RNA reflective of their cell of origin, offering a novel, non-invasive biomarker of the TIME. This makes them a promising candidate for immune profiling and treatment monitoring in cancer. This thesis investigates the potential of EVs as biomarkers for TIME composition and immune activity. An analysis of current literature reveals how different cancer therapies, including immunotherapies, alter both immune cells and their secreted EVs, influencing tumor progression and treatment resistance. Experimental data from gastric cancer models shows that certain immune markers are retained in sEVs and are detectable in both cell culture and plasma-derived samples. These findings support the utility of EVs in capturing distinct TIME phenotypes. Overall, EVs emerge as a critical tool for immune profiling, therapeutic monitoring, and potentially predicting treatment response. Further research and clinical validation could establish EV-based diagnostics as key component of precision oncology and immune-guided cancer care.

Degree

College and Department

Life Sciences; Physiology and Developmental Biology

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