title: Cancer immunotherapy.
abstract: Immune-based therapies for cancer are now commonplace. Cytokine therapy, including interferon and interleukin-2, is safe in the community setting. The US Food and Drug Administration has recently approved sipuleucel-T for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer, the first therapeutic cancer vaccine to meet this level of efficacy. The therapeutic use of monoclonal antibodies directed against proteins controlling various cell functions, including growth and modulation of immune response, has become so pervasive that the oncologist, whether surgeon or medical oncologist, must be familiar with indications, contraindications, and the associated toxicities.
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgical Oncology, Carolinas Medical Center, Blumenthal Cancer Center, 1025 Morehead Medical Drive, Suite 600, Charlotte, NC 28204, USA. Richard.White@carolinashealthcare.org
authors.forename: Richard L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Asim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amin
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D014020:Tissue Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D014020:Tissue Extracts