The role of natural killer cell in gastrointestinal cancer: killer or helper.

Abstract in brief

• Natural killer (NK) cells are crucial in fighting gastrointestinal cancer because they can quickly identify and destroy tumor cells without needing prior activation, making them a key part of the body's first line of defense.
• NK cells also support the adaptive immune system by releasing cytokines and helping to create immune memory, which enhances the overall antitumor response, showing their dual role in innate and adaptive immunity.
• Despite challenges such as reduced infiltration and immune evasion by tumors, new strategies like adoptive NK cell transfer, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and cytokine treatments are being developed and show promising results in clinical and preclinical studies.]