Cancer and immune response: old and new evidence for future challenges.
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.
de la Cruz-Merino
Luis
L
Medical Oncology Department, Virgen de la Macarena University Hospital, Seville, Spain. lucme12@yahoo.es
Grande-Pulido
Enrique
E
Albero-Tamarit
Ana
A
Codes-Manuel de Villena
Manuel Eduardo
ME
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000276:immunology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015703:Antigens, CD; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; C556706:CTLA4 protein, human; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor