Immunotherapies targeting conventional T cells have revolutionized systemic treatment for many cancers, yet only a subset of patients benefit from these approaches. A better understanding of the complex immune microenvironment of tumours is needed to design the next generation of immunotherapeutics. Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) and innate-like T cells (ILTCs) are abundant, tissue-resident lymphocytes that have recently been shown to have critical roles in many types of cancers. ILCs and ILTCs rapidly respond to changes in their surrounding environment and act as the first responders to bridge innate and adaptive immunity. This places ILCs and ILTCs as pivotal orchestrators of the final antitumour immune response. In this Review, we outline hallmarks of ILCs and ILTCs and discuss their emerging role in antitumour immunity, as well as the pathophysiological adaptations leading to their pro-tumorigenic function. We explore the pleiotropic, in parts redundant and sometimes opposing, mechanisms that underlie the delicate interplay between the different subsets of ILCs and ILTCs. Finally, we highlight their role in amplifying and complementing conventional T cell functions and summarize immunotherapeutic strategies for targeting ILCs and ILTCs in cancer.

针对传统 T 细胞的免疫疗法彻底改变了许多癌症的全身治疗，但只有一小部分患者从这些方法中受益。设计下一代免疫治疗药物需要更好地了解肿瘤复杂的免疫微环境。先天淋巴细胞 (ILC) 和先天样 T 细胞 (ILTC) 是丰富的组织驻留淋巴细胞，最近被证明在许多类型的癌症中发挥着关键作用。ILC 和 ILTC 能够快速响应周围环境的变化，并充当连接先天免疫和适应性免疫的第一响应者。这使得 ILC 和 ILTC 成为最终抗肿瘤免疫反应的关键协调者。在这篇综述中，我们概述了 ILC 和 ILTC 的特点，并讨论了它们在抗肿瘤免疫中的新兴作用，以及导致其促肿瘤功能的病理生理适应。我们探索了 ILC 和 ILTC 不同子集之间微妙相互作用背后的多效性机制，部分是多余的，有时是相反的。最后，我们强调了它们在放大和补充传统 T 细胞功能中的作用，并总结了针对癌症中的 ILC 和 ILTC 的免疫治疗策略。