Immunotherapy: it takes a village

Abstract

We in the cancer immunology and immunotherapy community are thrilled that Science named “Cancer immunotherapy” as 2013’s Breakthrough of the Year (J. Couzin-Frankel, 20 December 2013, p. 1432). The rapid succession of clinical successes by blocking antibodies to two immune checkpoints, CTLA-4 and PD-1, and by chimeric antigen-receptor-transduced T cells, shows the power of basic immunology when translated to therapy. As such, I write to acknowledge some of the key scientists whose basic discoveries paved the way for the clinical successes outlined in the Breakthrough issue.