A role for antibodies in tumor immunity

Recent advances have demonstrated the clinical utility of specific monoclonal antibodies that recognize tumor-associated antigens on the surface of the tumor cell in the treatment of breast cancer and B cell lymphoma in humans. In addition to these studies, an experimental tumor model, where antibodies that recognize a viral-encoded tumor-specific antigen play a major role in tumor immunity, will be discussed. Together, these studies implicate antibodies as a means of providing tumor immunity against some cancers. The necessity for designing cancer vaccines that induce antibodies with specificity for antigens on the tumor cell will be discussed.