title: Dr William Coley and tumour regression: a place in history or in the future.
abstract: Spontaneous tumour regression has followed bacterial, fungal, viral, and protozoal infections. This phenomenon inspired the development of numerous rudimentary cancer immunotherapies, with a history spanning thousands of years. Coley took advantage of this natural phenomenon, developing a killed bacterial vaccine for cancer in the late 1800s. He observed that inducing a fever was crucial for tumour regression. Unfortunately, at the present time little credence is given to the febrile response in fighting infections-no less cancer. Rapidly growing tumours contain large numbers of leucocytes. These cells play a part in both defence and repair; however, reparative functions can also support tumour growth. Intratumoural infections may reactivate defensive functions, causing tumour regression. Can it be a coincidence that this method of immunotherapy has been "rediscovered" repeatedly throughout the centuries? Clearly, Coley's approach to cancer treatment has a place in the past, present, and future. It offers a rare opportunity for the development of a broadly applicable, relatively inexpensive, yet effective treatment for cancer. Even in cases beyond the reach of conventional therapy, there is hope.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Care and Epidemiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. stephen.hoption.cann@ubc.ca
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Hoption Cann
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: van Netten
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: van Netten
mesh_terms: D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000266:history* / Q000276:immunology; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000266:history*; D005334:Fever / Q000266:history / Q000276:immunology; D005544:Forecasting; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000266:history* / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000266:history / Q000639:trends; D009365:Neoplasm Regression, Spontaneous / Q000276:immunology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000266:history* / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D019496:Cancer Vaccines