title: The Basis of Oncoimmunology.
abstract: Cancer heterogeneity, a hallmark enabling clonal survival and therapy resistance, is shaped by active immune responses. Antigen-specific T cells can control cancer, as revealed clinically by immunotherapeutics such as adoptive T-cell transfer and checkpoint blockade. The host immune system is thus a powerful tool that, if better harnessed, could significantly enhance the efficacy of cytotoxic therapy and improve outcomes for cancer sufferers. To realize this vision, however, a number of research frontiers must be tackled. These include developing strategies for neutralizing tumor-promoting inflammation, broadening T-cell repertoires (via vaccination), and elucidating the mechanisms by which immune cells organize tumor microenvironments to regulate T-cell activity. Such efforts will pave the way for identifying new targets for combination therapies that overcome resistance to current treatments and promote long-term cancer control.
authors.affiliation: The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, 10 Discovery Drive, Farmington, CT 06032, USA; Baylor Institute for Immunology Research, Dallas, TX 75204, USA. Electronic address: karolina.palucka@jax.org.
authors.forename: A Karolina
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Palucka
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell, Developmental & Cancer Biology, Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Mail Code L215, Room 5508, Richard Jones Hall, Portland, OR 97239-3098, USA. Electronic address: coussenl@ohsu.edu.
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Coussens
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000276:immunology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment
chemical_list: D019496:Cancer Vaccines