Specific and non-specific responses in host resistance to tumors.
Host recognition of tumor associated antigens can be manipulated so as to produce rejection of tumor cells. This manipulation is dependent upon the tumor expressing appropriate levels of tumor antigen and whilst active specific immunotherapy may be effective against tumors induced with extrinsic agents (carcinogens, oncogenic viruses) few naturally arising rodent tumors respond to therapy. Sensitized T lymphocytes are involved in specific tumor immune responses and in many cases these effector cells are tumoricidal. With other rodent tumors, however, cytotoxic T cells may not be effective and in this case the specific response may lead to activation/augmentation of non-specific immunity mediated by activated macrophage and/or natural killer cells.
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity; D007167:Immunotherapy; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D001500:BCG Vaccine