Tumor Immunology and Cancer Immunotherapy Flashcards
Tumor immunology:
The study of the interactions between the immune system and tumors, focusing on how the immune system recognizes and responds to cancer.
Cancer immunosurveillance:
The process by which the immune system detects and eliminates tumor cells, preventing the development of cancer.
Immune evasion by tumors:
Tumors develop mechanisms to evade immune detection, such as expressing immune checkpoint molecules or downregulating antigen presentation.
Tumor antigens:
Molecules expressed by tumor cells that can be recognized by the immune system as foreign or abnormal, triggering an immune response.
Tumor-associated antigens (TAAs):
Antigens that are overexpressed in tumor cells but may also be found in normal cells at lower levels, making them potential targets for immune therapy.
Tumor-specific antigens (TSAs):
Antigens that are unique to tumor cells and not found in normal cells, making them ideal targets for immune-based therapies.
Immune checkpoints:
Molecules that regulate immune responses by inhibiting or activating immune cells. Tumors can exploit checkpoint molecules like PD-L1 to avoid immune destruction.
Programmed death-1 (PD-1):
A receptor on T cells that, when bound by its ligand (PD-L1), inhibits T cell activity, helping tumors evade immune response.
Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1):
A protein expressed on tumor cells that binds to PD-1 on T cells, suppressing their activity and allowing the tumor to escape immune attack.
Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs):
Immune cells that recognize and kill infected or cancerous cells, playing a critical role in the immune response against tumors.
Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs):
Immune cells, including T cells and NK cells, that have migrated into the tumor microenvironment and are involved in anti-tumor responses.
Cancer immunotherapy:
Treatment strategies that harness the body’s immune system to fight cancer, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, CAR-T cell therapy, and cancer vaccines.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors:
Drugs that block immune checkpoints (e.g., PD-1/PD-L1 or CTLA-4 inhibitors) to enhance T cell activity against tumors.
Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR-T):
A personalized immunotherapy that involves modifying a patient’s T cells to express a receptor specific to tumor antigens, enabling the T cells to target and kill cancer cells.
Cytokine therapy:
Use of cytokines like interleukins (IL-2) or interferons to stimulate the immune system to attack cancer cells.
Monoclonal antibodies in cancer therapy:
Antibodies designed to target specific tumor antigens, blocking tumor cell growth or marking tumor cells for immune destruction.
Tumor vaccines:
Vaccines designed to stimulate the immune system to recognize and attack tumor-specific antigens, helping prevent or treat cancer.
Cancer immunoediting:
The process by which the immune system both suppresses and selects for tumor variants that can evade immune detection.
Tumor microenvironment (TME):
The cellular environment surrounding a tumor, which includes immune cells, blood vessels, and extracellular matrix components that can influence tumor growth and immune responses.
Immune suppressive factors in the TME:
Molecules like TGF-β, IL-10, and VEGF in the tumor microenvironment that suppress immune responses and promote tumor growth.
Regulatory T cells (Tregs) in tumors:
T cells that suppress immune responses, often recruited to the tumor microenvironment to help tumors escape immune surveillance.
Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs):
Immune cells that suppress T cell activity and promote tumor progression by inhibiting immune responses.
Therapeutic cancer vaccines:
Vaccines that stimulate the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells by presenting tumor-specific antigens.
Oncolytic virus therapy:
The use of genetically modified viruses to selectively infect and kill cancer cells while stimulating an immune response.
Adoptive cell transfer (ACT):
A form of immunotherapy where immune cells (such as T cells or NK cells) are extracted, expanded, and reinfused into the patient to target cancer.
Biomarkers in cancer immunotherapy:
Biological markers used to predict response to immunotherapy, such as PD-L1 expression, TIL levels, or mutational burden.
Cancer immunotherapy resistance:
A phenomenon where tumors become resistant to immunotherapy, often due to immune evasion mechanisms or lack of tumor antigenicity.
Combination therapies in cancer immunotherapy:
The use of multiple therapeutic approaches (e.g., immune checkpoint inhibitors and chemotherapy) to enhance anti-tumor efficacy and overcome resistance.
Autoimmunity in cancer immunotherapy:
A potential side effect of cancer immunotherapy where the immune system attacks normal tissues, causing autoimmune diseases.
Immune-related adverse events (irAEs):
Side effects of immunotherapy that occur when the immune system attacks normal tissues, often in organs like the skin, colon, and liver.
Immune system boosting in cancer therapy:
Strategies to enhance the immune system’s ability to fight cancer, including the use of cytokines, vaccines, and adoptive cell transfer.
Cancer immunotherapy and precision medicine:
The use of genomic and molecular profiling to select the most effective immunotherapies based on individual tumor characteristics.
Tumor antigen escape:
A mechanism by which tumors lose or alter the expression of tumor antigens, evading immune detection and immune therapy.
Tumor immunology and cancer vaccines:
Cancer vaccines are designed to stimulate an immune response against tumor-associated or tumor-specific antigens to prevent or treat cancer.
