Immunotherapy of cancer: key findings and commentary on the third Tegernsee conference.

ABSTRACT: Cancer immunotherapy broadly includes active immunization, as in the use of cancer vaccines, passive immunization, such as the use of adoptive cell therapy and antibodies that modulate tumor function, and immunostimulation, using antibodies and small molecules to treat malignancy by activating or unleashing an endogenous immune response against tumor cells. Currently, >100 different monoclonal antibodies are in use or under evaluation for use as therapeutic agents in various malignancies. Active stimulation of the host's immune system holds promise for achieving durable remission of malignant disease and represents a nontoxic method of therapy if tumor-specific effector cells can be selectively targeted. However, no active-specific treatment strategy (i.e., a therapeutic cancer vaccine) ha

SUBMITTER: Ruttinger D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3227889 | biostudies-literature | 2010

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature