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Active immunization against cancer cells: impediments and advances
M P Velders1, H Schreiber, W M Kast
1Cancer Immunology Program, Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Loyola University, Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA.
Seminars in Oncology
|December 29, 1998
Summary
Cancer immunotherapy, particularly active immunization strategies, faces challenges due to patient immune responses and tumor evasion mechanisms. Understanding these hurdles is key to developing effective cancer vaccines.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunology
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Cancer immunotherapy, including monoclonal antibodies, is primarily experimental.
- Active immunization strategies for cancer are not yet clinically mature.
- Successful viral vaccinations have raised hopes for cancer vaccines.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review impediments in cancer immunotherapy identified in murine models and clinical trials.
- To understand tumor immune evasion mechanisms.
- To explore strategies for efficient immune system activation against tumors.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing data from murine models.
- Analysis of clinical trial results for cancer immunotherapy.
- Examination of immune responses in cancer patients versus healthy individuals.
Main Results:
- Early active immunization trials in cancer patients yielded disappointing results.
- Cancer patients may exhibit different immune responses to vaccines compared to healthy individuals.
- Tumors develop immune-escape mechanisms that inactivate or prevent immune cell activation.
Conclusions:
- Overcoming impediments in cancer immunotherapy is crucial for progress.
- Understanding tumor immune evasion is essential for developing effective cancer vaccines.
- New possibilities for active cancer immunization can emerge from this knowledge.