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Cytokines and Immune Response in the Tumor Microenvironment
Simone Mocellin1, Ena Wang, Francesco Maria Marincola
1Department of Transfusion Medicine, Clinical Center, and Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.A.
Journal of Immunotherapy : Official Journal of the Society for Biological Therapy
|October 31, 2001
Summary
Cytokines (CKs) are key mediators of immune responses against cancer. Understanding CKs in the tumor microenvironment is crucial for improving cancer immunotherapy effectiveness and tumor rejection strategies.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunology
- Cancer Research
Background:
- The immune system (IS) plays a significant role in cancer defense.
- Cytokines (CKs) mediate IS cell activities and reflect immune phenomena in the tumor microenvironment.
- Current clinical use of CKs aims to direct anti-cancer immune responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of specific CKs in tumor immunology.
- To summarize current knowledge on CKs in cancer immunotherapy.
- To highlight achievements, controversies, and challenges in the field.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on CK properties and functions.
- Summary of in vitro, animal model, and human studies involving key CKs.
- Analysis of CK kinetics as indicators of immune activity in the tumor microenvironment.
Main Results:
- Specific CKs like IL-10, TGF-β, IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-4, and IL-12 are relevant to tumor immunology.
- CKs influence the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy, but their precise roles are not fully understood.
- The tumor microenvironment involves a complex interplay of various CKs affecting tumor-IS interactions.
Conclusions:
- Further research is needed to elucidate the complex role of CKs in tumor immunology and immunotherapy.
- Understanding CKs is essential for advancing cancer treatment strategies.
- CKs represent a critical area for future investigation in oncology.
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