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Review
. 2024 Sep 10;16(9):e69113.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.69113. eCollection 2024 Sep.

William Coley: The Pioneer and the Father of Immunotherapy

Mishaal Munir  1   2 , Asfand Yar Cheema  3   4 , Oboseh J Ogedegbe  5 , Muhammad Faisal Aslam  6 , San Kim  3
Affiliations
Review

William Coley: The Pioneer and the Father of Immunotherapy

Mishaal Munir et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

William Coley was an unacclaimed hero of early cancer treatment. His work is often overshadowed by more recent advancements in immunotherapy. Coley's innovative work in the 1910s and 1930s laid the groundwork for what would become a major field in oncology. His experiments with bacterial vaccines by making use of the immune system to combat cancer preceded contemporary immunotherapy for several decades. This review provides a comprehensive exploration of Coley's life, his groundbreaking research, the socio-scientific challenges he faced, and his lasting impact on cancer treatment. Even though he faced lots of initial resistance and challenges, Coley's work has influenced modern immunotherapy practices.

Keywords: biography; cancer immunotherapy; coley’s toxin; ewing sarcoma (es); group b strep; health heroes; hematology-oncology; historical vignette; soft-tissue sarcomas; william colley.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. William B. Coley (1862-1936)
Reproduced with permission from [2]
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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