Carcinogenesis is the result of a complex interplay of cell intrinsic and extrinsic processes that promote genomic instability, sustained proliferation, resistance to apoptosis, reprogramming and reorganization of the stromal environment. An immune cell infiltrate is a characteristic feature of many tumors, and it is increasingly appreciated that immunity and inflammation are key determinants of tumor development and progression. This meeting will consider the molecular and environmental factors that shape the extensive cross-talk between immune, stromal and cancer cells in the tumor microenvironment. Positioned at the interface of cancer cell signaling, stem cells, inflammatory pathways and microbial drivers, this meeting should provide new insights into the factors that control the balance between tumor-promoting and tumor-suppressive immunity and inflammation and how this can be applied in the prevention and treatment of cancer. The meeting will attract a multi-disciplinary group of cancer cell biologists, immunologists and inflammation biologists and will be of interest to basic and clinical scientists alike.