Role of liver microenvironment in liver metastasis of digestive system malignancies and the underlying mechanism

The liver is the most common metastatic site of digestive system malignancies, mainly due to its special anatomical position and rich blood supply. Growing evidence has showed that the pre-metastatic microenvironment of the liver, such as activation of various cells, modification of immune response, and adjustment of cytokine concentrations, plays an essential role in the occurrence and progression of liver metastasis of digestive tract malignancies. Targeting the pre-metastatic microenvironment of the liver during cancer immunotherapy appears to be a new strategy for preventing and managing liver metastasis of digestive system malignancies. Key words: Microenvironment; Digestive tract malignancy; Liver metastasis