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Advances in cancer immunotherapy: A review of the literature
Abstract
Background: Conventional cancer treatment includes surgery, radiation, hormonal and chemotherapy, sometimes a combination of these. Each of these has limitations and serious side effects, which led to a search for new treatment options. Understanding tumor immunobiology and the complex interactions between immune cells and cancer pave the way for the introduction of a novel treatment approach called immunotherapy, which is a method that utilizes the body’s immune system to fight cancer. As the subject is emerging, the review aimed to describe the present developments in the field of cancer immunotherapy.
Methods: Literature published in English were non-systematically retrieved from PubMed/Medline, SCOPUS, Google Scholar, and the Google database using relevant searching terms. Articles were prioritized and considered based on their originality and possible clinical applicability.
Results: Big interest in the field of cancer immunotherapy was inspired by the success of the most important products that achieved durable responses in patients with lethal stages of cancer. Two of these approaches were; a) immune checkpoint inhibitors that target the PD-1/CTLA-4 axes in advanced melanoma, lung, and renal cell carcinomas and b) adoptive cell therapy with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells to treat leukemia and lymphomas. Immunotherapy either stimulates/boosts the activities of specific components of the immune system or
counteracts signals produced by cancer cells that suppress immune responses. It can eliminate large tumor masses in advanced-stage cancer and elicit immunological memory that can lead to prolonged protection. Generally, cancer immunotherapy strategies currently being used in clinical settings and that are under different levels of trial include; monoclonal antibodies, adoptive transfer of ex-vivo activated T-cells, cancer vaccines, oncolytic viruses, cytokines, and use of recombinant proteins or antibodies that either stimulate the immune system or block the system inhibitory pathways.
Conclusion: The concept of cancer immunotherapy provides a new perspective in oncology as it artificially boosts the immune system and is not associated with many of the drawbacks of conventional cancer therapies. However, suboptimal vaccine design, an immunosuppressive cancer microenvironment, and better delivery strategies to improve the effectiveness of immunotherapy need further research.
