title: Cancer immunology and canine malignant melanoma: A comparative review.
abstract: Oral canine malignant melanoma (CMM) is a spontaneously occurring aggressive tumour with relatively few medical treatment options, which provides a suitable model for the disease in humans. Historically, multiple immunotherapeutic strategies aimed at provoking both innate and adaptive anti-tumour immune responses have been published with varying levels of activity against CMM. Recently, a plasmid DNA vaccine expressing human tyrosinase has been licensed for the adjunct treatment of oral CMM. This article reviews the immunological similarities between CMM and the human counterpart; mechanisms by which tumours evade the immune system; reasons why melanoma is an attractive target for immunotherapy; the premise of whole cell, dendritic cell (DC), viral and DNA vaccination strategies alongside preliminary clinical results in dogs. Current "gold standard" treatments for advanced human malignant melanoma are evolving quickly with remarkable results being achieved following the introduction of immune checkpoint blockade and adoptively transferred cell therapies. The rapidly expanding field of cancer immunology and immunotherapeutics means that rational targeting of this disease in both species should enhance treatment outcomes in veterinary and human clinics.
authors.affiliation: McMaster Immunology Research Centre, Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada. Electronic address: athertmj@mcmaster.ca.
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Atherton
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, 464 Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK.
authors.forename: Joanna S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada.
authors.forename: Mark R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: McDermott
authors.affiliation: McMaster Immunology Research Centre, Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada.
authors.forename: Brian D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Lichty
mesh_terms: D056704:Adaptive Immunity; D000818:Animals; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D004285:Dogs; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000662:veterinary; D008545:Melanoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D019496:Cancer Vaccines
keywords: Cancer immunology and immunotherapy; Canine malignant melanoma