Immune System in Cancer Control

The article discusses the complex microenvironment of tumors and how immune cells can be tricked by tumor cells. It also explains how the immune system works in recognizing tumor antigens and destroying tumor cells. The article also highlights the use of immunotherapy in targeting tumor cells.

Running head: IMMUNE SYSTEM IN CANCER CONTROL
IMMUNE SYSTEM IN CANCER CONTROL
Name of the Student
Name of the university
Author’s note

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Question 7
The microenvironment of the tumor is complex stromal cells like fibroblasts and immune
cells. Evidence has been found for the fact that these immune cells can be tricked by the tumor
cells by promoting angiogenesis and suppressing the antitumor response (Finn, 2012). The
immune cells also provide resistance to various chemotherapies and often help in the metastasis
of the tumor cells. The myeloid suppressor tumor cells are found to be the key cause in the
aberrant growth of the tumor cells and suppression of the antitumor immune response. Normally
the MSCs helps in the wound repair process by the help of angiogenesis, cell division and
growth. But under pathological conditions MSCs acts the main inflammatory cells of the solid
tumors. They can suppress the adaptive immune response and regulates the anti-tumor activities
of the T cells. It also causes angiogenesis by secreting the vascular endothelial growth factors
(Karachaliou et al., 2013).
The immune system has the chief potential for destroying the tumors without harming the
normal tissues. Solid evidences have been provided by the last 30 years of the immune oncology
research about the impact of the immune system in the control of cancer. The process is known
as immune-surveillance (Karachaliou et al., 2013). The immune system works by the
recognition of the tumor antigens. The mutated proteins from the oncogenes, the abnormally
expressed self proteins or those expressed by the virus in the neoplasia, serve as good antigenic
targets for immune-surveillance (Candeias & Gaipl, 2016). The first few abnormally modified
cells are identified by the NK cells by their interaction with particular ligands present in the
tumor cells, due to which some of the cells destroy. The fragments are further processes by the

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dentritic cells and the macrophages. Inflammatory cytokines are produced by these macrophages
and the dendritic cells and the tumor cell derived molecules are presented to the B and T cells. B
and the T cells activates to produce more cytokines , that results in the activation of the innate
immunity, that further helps in the production of the tumor specific T cells and the antibodies.
The remaining tumor cells are destroyed by the adaptive immunity generated (Finn, 2012).
Immunotherapy has been largely used in targeting the tumor cells. Anticancer
monoclonal antibodies are being used for the treatment of several cancers (Corthay, 2014).
Trastuzumab have been used for breast cancers and retuximab for B-cell lymphoma. Antibody
treatment can not only help in imposing cytotoxic effect on the tumor cells but also help in the
loading the tumor antigens that are antibody bound on to the antigen presenting cells (APC)
(Finn, 2012). This cross penetration to the antitumor B cells and T cells generates additional
antibodies to these antigens. The immune response to the tumor site hence continues to remain in
action, much after activities of the infused monoclonal antibody had gone.

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References
Corthay, A. (2014). Does the immune system naturally protect against cancer?. Frontiers in
immunology, 5, 197.
Finn, O. J. (2012). Immuno-oncology: understanding the function and dysfunction of the
immune system in cancer. Annals of oncology, 23(suppl_8), viii6-viii9.
Karachaliou, N., Cao, M. G., Teixidó, C., Viteri, S., Morales-Espinosa, D., Santarpia, M., &
Rosell, R. (2015). Understanding the function and dysfunction of the immune system in
lung cancer: the role of immune checkpoints. Cancer biology & medicine, 12(2), 79.
M Candeias, S., & S Gaipl, U. (2016). The immune system in cancer prevention, development
and therapy. Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry (Formerly Current Medicinal
Chemistry-Anti-Cancer Agents), 16(1), 101-107.