Fatty acid in the tumor microenvironment: Perspectives for immunotherapy.

Fatty acids (FA) are essential macromolecules in living organisms and play critical roles in processes such as cancer development, inflammation, and autoimmunity. Immune responses and metabolic changes are involved in tumor occurrence, development, invasion, and metastasis, and therapies targeting immunity and metabolism have gradually begun to be developed in clinical practice. Recent studies have revealed alterations in fatty acid metabolism in tumor microenvironment, suggesting that the modulation of fatty acid metabolism can affect the efficacy of immunotherapy. In this review, we summarize the effects of fatty acids on cancer immunotherapy in aspects including tumor cell metabolism, protein lipid modification, and clinical applications. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms by which FA and their metabolites participate in immune response can enhance our knowledge of their function in tumor development and their impact on the immune system, thereby providing new strategies for improving cancer immunotherapy.