Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy

The interplay between tumors and their immunologic microenvironment is complex, difficult to decipher, but its understanding is of seminal importance for the development of novel prognostic markers and therapeutic strategies. The present review discusses tumor-immune interactions in several human cancers that illustrate various aspects of this complexity and proposes an integrated scheme of the impact of local immune reactions on clinical outcome. Current active immunotherapy trials have shown durable tumor regressions in a fraction of patients. However, clinical efficacy of current vaccines is limited, possibly because tumors skew the immune system by means of myeloid-derived suppressor cells, inflammatory type 2 T cells and regulatory T cells (Tregs), all of which prevent the generation of effector cells. To improve the clinical efficacy of cancer vaccines in patients with metastatic disease, we need to design novel and improved strategies that can boost adaptive immunity to cancer, help overcome Tregs and allow the breakdown of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment.

From the reviews:“This book comprises 13 reviews, contributed by members of a cross-section of groups working in the … field of cancer immunology. … this book is at its best when considering small and apparently discrete topics ­­– its strength comes from being able to read all of these ideas on one place. … Overall, this book gives a thorough and detailed overview of the current state of basic and translational research into cancer immunology … . It’s probably most appropriate for researchers … .”­­­ (Victoria Lawson, Immunology News, November, 2011)