Differential expression of efferocytosis and phagocytosis associated genes in tumor associated macrophages exposed to African American patient derived prostate cancer microenvironment.

Macrophages are the first line of defense in the cellular environment in response to any antigenic or foreign invasion. Since cancer cells express antigenic molecules and create a tumor microenvironment quite different from the normal cellular environment, macrophages will attack this cancer cells as foreign Invaders. However, the cancer cells adept their ability to suppress macrophage activity by secreting compounds/proteins through unknown mechanisms and train these macrophages to aid in tumorigenesis.