 Recent studies have shown that the tumor extracellular matrix, ECM, associates with immunosuppression, and that targeting the ECM can improve immune infiltration and responsiveness to immunotherapy. Studies have also identified a tumor-associated macrophage, TAM, population associated with poor prognosis, interruption of the cancer immunity cycle, and tumor ECM composition. This TAM phenotype is generated by the ECM, which has been shown to induce altered T cell marker expression and proliferation. Furthermore, these macrophages share transcriptional profiles with those found in human tissue. Thus, the ECM directly educates this macrophage population found in cancer tissues. Current and emerging cancer therapies that target the tumor ECM may be tailored to improve macrophage phenotype and their downstream regulation of immunity. This article was authored by E.H. Puttick, E.J. Tyler, M. Mani, and others. We are article.tv, links in the description below.