Cancer and Immune Response: Old and New Evidence for Future Challenges.
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2008
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The Oncologist
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Abstract
Cancer may occur as a result of abnormal host immune system tolerance. Recent studies have confirmed the occurrence of spontaneous and induced
antitumor immune responses expressed as the presence of tumor-infiltrating T cells in the tumor microenvironment in some cancer models. This finding has
been recognized as a good prognostic factor in several
types of tumors. Some chemotherapy agents, such as
anthracyclines and gemcitabine, are effective boosters of the immune response through tumor-specific
antigen overexpression after apoptotic tumor cell destruction. Other strategies, such as GM-CSF or interleukin-2, are pursued to increase immune cell
availability in the tumor vicinity, and thus improve
both antigen presentation and T-cell activation and
proliferation. In addition, cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 – blocking monoclonal antibodies enhance immune activity by prolonging T-cell activation.
Strategies to stimulate the dormant immune system
against tumors are varied and warrant further investigation of their applications to cancer therapy in the
future.
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Keywords
Cancer, Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, Immune tolerance, Cancer vaccines, CTLA-4, GM-CSF, IL-2