[Immunotherapy of solid tumor: perspectives on vaccine and cell therapy]

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Immunology
• Molecular Biology

Context:

• Advances in molecular identification of tumor antigens have paved the way for targeted cancer immunotherapies.
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first therapeutic cancer vaccine, Provenge, in 2010.
• Numerous therapeutic vaccine candidates are currently in late-stage clinical trials for solid tumors.

Purpose:

• To review the current landscape and future potential of cancer immunotherapy.
• To highlight the clinical effectiveness of adoptive immunotherapy using tumor-specific T cells.
• To discuss the role of genetically engineered T cells in advancing cancer treatment.

Summary:

• Molecular identification of tumor antigens enables the development of tumor-specific immunotherapies.
• Adoptive immunotherapy with tumor-specific T cells has shown clinical effectiveness in advanced malignancies like melanoma and synovial cell sarcoma.
• Genetically engineered T cells are being administered to cancer patients, yielding promising results and expanding the application of adoptive immunotherapy.

Impact:

• Cancer immunotherapy has emerged as a significant medical option for patients with various cancers.
• Ongoing research into tumor biology and immune response, particularly inhibitory mechanisms, is crucial for further progress.
• The development of therapeutic cancer vaccines and adoptive T-cell therapies represents a paradigm shift in oncology treatment.