ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the methodology and the analytical pipelines employed to achieve the paradigm shift, as well as the obtained results. Targeting the immune component of tumours has been shown to hold great potential in the treatment of cancer. Researchers have long sought to define clinically meaningful tumour subtypes, based on pathological appearance, tissue of origin, marker expression and mutation profile, as means to predict their progression and response to therapy, but often with limited success. Scientific advances in the field of oncology and the success of anti-cancer therapies targeting the patient immune system provided us with an unprecedented level of understanding of tumour dynamics. Cell–cell communication is at the basis of the higher order organization observed in tissues, organs and organisms. Understanding cell–cell communication, and its underlying mechanisms that drive the development of cancer is essential.
