Tumor-induced immunosuppression

Tumor immunology is based on two essential concepts: immune surveillance, which implicate the host immune reactions against tumor cells, and tumor immune escape, which refers to the tumor-cell evasion process against the host immune system. The notion that a deficit in immune cell functions permits tumor growth has received experimental support with the discovery of several different biochemical defects in T lymphocytes that infiltrate cancers. Furthermore, expression of self-antigens on the tumor surface impose potential barriers to the development of effective immune response. Tumors are able to overcome immune surveillance by changing the polarity of effectors cells, thus down-regulating the proliferation of tumor-specific cytotoxic T cells, or altering the effector compositions of immune cells within the tumor milieu, or both. Understanding the interaction between cancer cells and host immune cells is of importance for clinical applications or immunotherapy in cancer treatment.