Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) including VEGFR, c-KIT, MET and the TYRO3, AXL, and MERTK (TAM) family are key regulators of cell survival pathways implicated in tumor growth and invasion, metastatic progression and tumor angiogenesis.1–3 The activation of these oncogenic pathways also plays a role in promoting an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) by downregulating innate immune responses via induction of M2-polarized macrophages, natural killer cell dysfunction and suppression of antigen presentation. This evidence concerns the gene MERTK and neoplasm.