Tumor Immunology and Cancer Immunotherapy

Question 1

Tumor immunology:

Answer 1

The study of the interactions between the immune system and tumors, focusing on how the immune system recognizes and responds to cancer.

Question 2

Cancer immunosurveillance:

Answer 2

The process by which the immune system detects and eliminates tumor cells, preventing the development of cancer.

Question 3

Immune evasion by tumors:

Answer 3

Tumors develop mechanisms to evade immune detection, such as expressing immune checkpoint molecules or downregulating antigen presentation.

Question 4

Tumor antigens:

Answer 4

Molecules expressed by tumor cells that can be recognized by the immune system as foreign or abnormal, triggering an immune response.

Question 5

Tumor-associated antigens (TAAs):

Answer 5

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.

Question 6

Tumor-specific antigens (TSAs):

Answer 6

Antigens that are unique to tumor cells and not found in normal cells, making them ideal targets for immune-based therapies.

Question 7

Immune checkpoints:

Answer 7

Molecules that regulate immune responses by inhibiting or activating immune cells. Tumors can exploit checkpoint molecules like PD-L1 to avoid immune destruction.

Question 8

Programmed death-1 (PD-1):

Answer 8

A receptor on T cells that, when bound by its ligand (PD-L1), inhibits T cell activity, helping tumors evade immune response.

Question 9

Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1):

Answer 9

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.

Question 10

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs):

Answer 10

Immune cells that recognize and kill infected or cancerous cells, playing a critical role in the immune response against tumors.

Question 11

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs):

Answer 11

Immune cells, including T cells and NK cells, that have migrated into the tumor microenvironment and are involved in anti-tumor responses.

Question 12

Cancer immunotherapy:

Answer 12

Treatment strategies that harness the body’s immune system to fight cancer, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, CAR-T cell therapy, and cancer vaccines.

Question 13

Immune checkpoint inhibitors:

Answer 13

Drugs that block immune checkpoints (e.g., PD-1/PD-L1 or CTLA-4 inhibitors) to enhance T cell activity against tumors.

Question 14

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR-T):

Answer 14

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.

Question 15

Cytokine therapy:

Answer 15

Use of cytokines like interleukins (IL-2) or interferons to stimulate the immune system to attack cancer cells.

Question 16

Monoclonal antibodies in cancer therapy:

Answer 16

Antibodies designed to target specific tumor antigens, blocking tumor cell growth or marking tumor cells for immune destruction.

Question 17

Tumor vaccines:

Answer 17

Vaccines designed to stimulate the immune system to recognize and attack tumor-specific antigens, helping prevent or treat cancer.

Question 18

Cancer immunoediting:

Answer 18

The process by which the immune system both suppresses and selects for tumor variants that can evade immune detection.

Question 19

Tumor microenvironment (TME):

Answer 19

The cellular environment surrounding a tumor, which includes immune cells, blood vessels, and extracellular matrix components that can influence tumor growth and immune responses.

Question 20

Immune suppressive factors in the TME:

Answer 20

Molecules like TGF-β, IL-10, and VEGF in the tumor microenvironment that suppress immune responses and promote tumor growth.

Question 21

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) in tumors:

Answer 21

T cells that suppress immune responses, often recruited to the tumor microenvironment to help tumors escape immune surveillance.

Question 22

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs):

Answer 22

Immune cells that suppress T cell activity and promote tumor progression by inhibiting immune responses.

Question 23

Therapeutic cancer vaccines:

Answer 23

Vaccines that stimulate the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells by presenting tumor-specific antigens.

Question 24

Oncolytic virus therapy:

Answer 24

The use of genetically modified viruses to selectively infect and kill cancer cells while stimulating an immune response.

Question 25

Adoptive cell transfer (ACT):

Answer 25

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.

Question 26

Biomarkers in cancer immunotherapy:

Answer 26

Biological markers used to predict response to immunotherapy, such as PD-L1 expression, TIL levels, or mutational burden.

Question 27

Cancer immunotherapy resistance:

Answer 27

A phenomenon where tumors become resistant to immunotherapy, often due to immune evasion mechanisms or lack of tumor antigenicity.

Question 28

Combination therapies in cancer immunotherapy:

Answer 28

The use of multiple therapeutic approaches (e.g., immune checkpoint inhibitors and chemotherapy) to enhance anti-tumor efficacy and overcome resistance.

Question 29

Autoimmunity in cancer immunotherapy:

Answer 29

A potential side effect of cancer immunotherapy where the immune system attacks normal tissues, causing autoimmune diseases.

Question 30

Immune-related adverse events (irAEs):

Answer 30

Side effects of immunotherapy that occur when the immune system attacks normal tissues, often in organs like the skin, colon, and liver.

Question 31

Immune system boosting in cancer therapy:

Answer 31

Strategies to enhance the immune system’s ability to fight cancer, including the use of cytokines, vaccines, and adoptive cell transfer.

Question 32

Cancer immunotherapy and precision medicine:

Answer 32

The use of genomic and molecular profiling to select the most effective immunotherapies based on individual tumor characteristics.

Question 33

Tumor antigen escape:

Answer 33

A mechanism by which tumors lose or alter the expression of tumor antigens, evading immune detection and immune therapy.

Question 34

Tumor immunology and cancer vaccines:

Answer 34

Cancer vaccines are designed to stimulate an immune response against tumor-associated or tumor-specific antigens to prevent or treat cancer.