Th17 cells: positive or negative role in tumor?

Th17 cells have been recently identified as a distinct Th cell lineage and found in an experimental animal model of cancer and in human cancers, but whether these cells promote tumor growth or regulate antitumor responses remains controversial. This review provides a summary of the current literature regarding interleukin (IL)-17/IL-23 and Th17 cells in cancer and discusses their potential roles in cancer development. Finally, we note several issues in this research area that must be resolved before the design of novel therapeutic approaches specifically targeting Th17 cells in cancer become feasible.