Cancer Immunology and Novel Strategies for Immunotherapy

Author(s): Alberto Monroy-Garcia, Maria de Lourdes Mora-Garcia and Jorge Hernandez- Montes

Pp: 130-147 (18)

* (Excluding Mailing and Handling)

Abstract

It is known that the immune system through innate and adaptive immune responses plays an important role to detect and eliminate primary chemically induced or spontaneous tumors. However, according to clinical data and experimental studies using de novo immune-competent mouse models of cancer development, the immune system can also participate as cancer-promoter. In this regard, deficient anti-tumor cell-mediated immunity, in combination with enhanced pro-tumor humoral and/or innate immunity (inflammation), are significant factors influencing malignant outcome. This review describes current knowledge of the interaction between tumors and the immune system, cellular and molecular events that favor tumor immune tolerance and current approaches to control tumor growth trough immunotherapy as well as novel strategies to block immunosuppressive elements.

Keywords: Inflamation and cancer, cancer immunoediting, immune tolerance, immunological escape, immunosuppression, suppressive molecules, T regulatory cells, dysfunctional dendritic cells, cancer immunotherapy, tumor antigens, adoptive T cell immunotherapy, novel tumor immunotherapy, combinatorial therapy.