Cancer immunoediting: from immunosurveillance to tumor escape

GP Dunn, AT Bruce, H Ikeda, LJ Old… - Nature immunology, 2002 - nature.com
GP Dunn, AT Bruce, H Ikeda, LJ Old, RD Schreiber
Nature immunology, 2002nature.com
The concept that the immune system can recognize and destroy nascent transformed cells
was originally embodied in the cancer immunosurveillance hypothesis of Burnet and
Thomas. This hypothesis was abandoned shortly afterwards because of the absence of
strong experimental evidence supporting the concept. New data, however, clearly show the
existence of cancer immunosurveillance and also indicate that it may function as a
component of a more general process of cancer immunoediting. This process is responsible …
Abstract
The concept that the immune system can recognize and destroy nascent transformed cells was originally embodied in the cancer immunosurveillance hypothesis of Burnet and Thomas. This hypothesis was abandoned shortly afterwards because of the absence of strong experimental evidence supporting the concept. New data, however, clearly show the existence of cancer immunosurveillance and also indicate that it may function as a component of a more general process of cancer immunoediting. This process is responsible for both eliminating tumors and sculpting the immunogenic phenotypes of tumors that eventually form in immunocompetent hosts. In this review, we will summarize the historical and experimental basis of cancer immunoediting and discuss its dual roles in promoting host protection against cancer and facilitating tumor escape from immune destruction.
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