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Updated: Jul 15, 2026
A Bioluminescent and Fluorescent Orthotopic Syngeneic Murine Model of Androgen-dependent and Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer
Published on: March 6, 2018
Immunology and immunotherapy approaches for prostate cancer
1CRUK Immunology Department, Paterson Institute for Cancer Research, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK. eelkord@picr.man.ac.uk
Abstract:
Several mechanisms that impair the immune response to promote tumour progression are reported. These mechanisms aim to reduce the ability of antigen-presenting cells to present antigen and activate naïve T cells to support an active immune response or to create a suppressive environment that induce non-functional tumour-associated antigen-specific T cells. Prostate cancer (PC) alone accounts for 33% of incident cancer cases and about 9% of all cancer-related deaths among men in the USA during 2006. Whereas androgen deprivation has remained the first line of therapy for advanced PC, other therapies are still required due to progression to an androgen-resistant state and eventually loss of control in patients receiving hormonal therapy. Immunotherapy seems to be a promising approach to enhance tumour-specific T-cell responses in different cancers including prostate. More importantly, clinical trials in advanced PC patients have shown that immunotherapy may generate significant clinical responses. Immunology and immunotherapy aspects of PC with focus on prostate-specific antigen will be presented.
Insights
Prostate cancer (PC) evades immune responses. Immunotherapy offers a promising strategy to enhance anti-tumour T-cell activity and clinical responses in advanced PC patients.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunology
Background:
- Tumour progression is often facilitated by immune evasion mechanisms that hinder T-cell activation or create a suppressive tumour microenvironment.
- Prostate cancer (PC) is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men, with advanced stages often becoming resistant to standard androgen deprivation therapy.
- Novel therapeutic strategies are crucial for managing advanced and treatment-resistant prostate cancer.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the immunological mechanisms underlying prostate cancer progression.
- To explore the potential of immunotherapy as a treatment for prostate cancer.
- To highlight the role of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in PC immunotherapy.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of immune evasion strategies in cancer.
- Analysis of current therapeutic approaches for advanced prostate cancer.
- Examination of clinical trial data on immunotherapy for prostate cancer.
Main Results:
- Immune suppression is a key factor in prostate cancer growth and resistance to therapy.
- Immunotherapy has demonstrated potential for significant clinical responses in advanced PC patients.
- Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a critical target for developing effective PC immunotherapies.
Conclusions:
- Understanding immune evasion in PC is vital for developing effective treatments.
- Immunotherapy represents a promising avenue for improving outcomes in prostate cancer.
- Targeting PSA through immunotherapy holds significant potential for future PC treatment strategies.
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