[Immunology of cancer]

The paper present a brief review of progress in cancer immunology in the past 50 years and its use in the immunodiagnosis, immunoprevention, and immunotherapy of cancer. Tumor markers have been a basis of the serological diagnosis of some tumors and the immunophenotyping of leukemia. Hepatitis B virus vaccination should reduce the incidence of hepatic cell carcinoma. Investigations have provided impetus to the design of molecular genetic anticancer vaccines which are being tested in the clinical setting.