Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 30, 2026

Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Gynecologic Cancer
Published on: April 17, 2012
Regulatory T Cells in Gynecologic Cancer
Yang Ou1, Martin J Cannon2, Mayumi Nakagawa1
1Department of Pathology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR USA.
Abstract:
Increasing evidence supports that regulatory T cells (Tregs) within the tumor, tumor draining lymph nodes, ascites and peripheral blood of patients with cancer are associated with poor prognosis. Tregs are important mediators of active immune evasion in cancer. In this review, the potential mechanisms of Treg actions and the roles of Tregs specifically in the tumor microenvironment derived from three types of gynecological cancers, cervical, vulvar and ovarian, are described. The correlations between Tregs and clinical immunotherapeutic study outcomes are discussed. Successful modulation of Tregs would likely have significant impact on the effectiveness of immunotherapeutic treatments in cancer patients.
Insights
Regulatory T cells (Tregs) in cancer patients are linked to worse outcomes and immune evasion. Targeting Tregs may improve cancer immunotherapy effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Oncology
- Gynecologic Oncology
Background:
- Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are increasingly recognized as key players in cancer immune evasion.
- Elevated Treg levels in tumors and patient samples correlate with poor cancer prognosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the mechanisms of Treg function in cancer.
- To describe the specific roles of Tregs in the tumor microenvironment of cervical, vulvar, and ovarian cancers.
- To discuss the relationship between Tregs and clinical immunotherapy outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of Treg mechanisms and roles in gynecologic cancers.
- Analysis of Treg correlations with clinical immunotherapeutic study results.
Main Results:
- Tregs are significant mediators of active immune evasion in cancer.
- Treg presence is associated with poor prognosis across various cancer sites, including gynecologic malignancies.
- The tumor microenvironment is heavily influenced by Treg activity.
Conclusions:
- Understanding Treg mechanisms is crucial for cancer treatment.
- Modulating Tregs holds significant potential for enhancing the efficacy of cancer immunotherapies.
- Targeting Tregs could represent a promising strategy in gynecologic oncology.
Related Concept Videos
Cis-regulatory Sequences
Cis-regulatory Sequences
Global Regulatory Systems
Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia
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,...
Drug Control Governance: Regulatory Bodies and Their Impact

