Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 9, 2026

Experimental Melanoma Immunotherapy Model Using Tumor Vaccination with a Hematopoietic Cytokine
Published on: February 24, 2023
IL-21 in cancer immunotherapy: At the right place at the right time
Saskia Jam Santegoets1, Annelies W Turksma, Daniel J Powell
1Department of Medical Oncology; VU University Medical Center; Cancer Center Amsterdam; Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Interleukin-21 (IL-21) has been described as a potent stimulator of antitumor T-cell immunity, but also of autoimmune reactions and oncogenesis. Antigen presenting cells genetically modified to release IL-21 allow for the expansion of tumor-specific T cells exhibiting favorable effector and growth characteristics and a minimal risk of detrimental side effects.
Interleukin-21 (IL-21) has been described as a potent stimulator of antitumor T-cell immunity, but also of autoimmune reactions and oncogenesis. Antigen presenting cells genetically modified to release IL-21 allow for the expansion of tumor-specific T cells exhibiting favorable effector and growth characteristics and a minimal risk of detrimental side effects.
Related Concept Videos
Tumor Immunotherapy
Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
Cancer Vaccines
Cancer vaccines come in two categories: preventive (prophylactic) and treatment (active). Preventive vaccines, such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, protect against viruses that cause certain...
Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
