Cancer Immunotherapy, Part 1: Current Strategies and Agents

Abstract

This article, the first in a series of three, introduces cancer immunology, cancer immunotherapy strategies, and the classes of anticancer therapeutic agents.

Figure 1

Significant Events in the History of Cancer Immunotherapy,– allo-HSCT = allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; CTLA-4 = cytotoxic T-lymphocyte–associated antigen 4; DC = dendritic cell; FDA = Food and Drug Administration; ICB = immune checkpoint blocker; IFN-α = interferon alpha; mAb = monoclonal antibody; PD-1 = programmed death-1; RCC = renal cell carcinoma; rhIL-2 = recombinant interleukin-2

Figure 2

Mechanism of Peptide Cancer Vaccines This diagram illustrates how the efficacy of peptide cancer vaccines is restricted by both HLA type and peptide sequence. (A) When both the vaccine HLA type and peptide sequence presented by the tumor cognate HLA molecule are matched, the antitumor cytotoxic effects of peptide-specific CTLs are activated. (B) However, when they are not matched, the peptide-specific CTLs will fail to lyse tumor cells, even in the presence of matched HLA type. CTL = cytotoxic T lymphocyte; HLA = human leukocyte antigen; TCR = T-cell receptor.