Overview of Basic Immunology for Clinical Investigators.
Tumor exists as a complex network of structures with an ability to evolve and evade the host immune surveillance mechanism. The immune milieu which includes macrophages, dendritic cells, natural killer cells, neutrophils, mast cells, B cells, and T cells are found in the core, the invasive margin, or the adjacent stromal or lymphoid component of the tumor. The immune infiltrate is heterogeneous and varies within a patient and between patients of the same tumor histology. The location, density, functionality, and the cross talk between the immune cells in the tumor microenvironment influence the nature of immune response, prognosis, and treatment outcomes in cancer patients. Therefore, an understanding of the characteristics of the immune cells and their role in tumor immune surveillance is of paramount importance to identify immune targets and to develop novel immune therapeutics in the war against cancer. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the individual components of the human immune system and the translational relevance of predictive biomarkers.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
Bettzy
B
Stephen
Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA. joud.hajjar@bcm.edu.
Joud
J
Hajjar
D056704:Adaptive Immunity / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000187:drug effects; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D015398:Signal Transduction; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical; D019139:Tumor Escape; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007155:Immunologic Factors
Adaptive; CTLA-4; Immune checkpoints; Innate; PD-1; T cells; Tumor immunotherapy