MERTK and neoplasm: In support of this idea, recent studies have shown that Mertk ablation on tumor leukocytes in tumor bearing mice suppress both tumor growth and progression (metastasis) by a mechanism that depends, at least In part, by increasing in pro-inflammatory cytokines, polarizing M2 to M1 macrophages, and increasing cytotoxic T cells in the tumor microenvironment [46].