Immune Signals in Cancer
Director of the institute of clinical chemistry and pathobiochemistry from TU Munich
The immune system plays a pivotal role in cancer pathogenesis and treatment. On the one hand, immune cells are capable of recognizing and destroying malignant tumors and these abilities are successfully harnessed for cancer immunotherapy, which is revolutionizing the clinical management of a wide array of cancers. On the other hand, pathological immunity can also create microenvironments that promote the initiation and progression of cancer of various tissues and subvert tumorimmune surveillance. Moreover, immune cells themselves can be targets of malignant transformation, resulting in leukemias and lymphomas. Here, we will discuss both pro- and anti-cancer effects of the immune system and their implications for therapy.