Abstract
Although a great body of evidence is available on the immunosuppressive strategies employed by tumors in order to grow, cancer patients are not considered immunosuppressed individuals. Chemotherapy used in different cancer treatments frequently leads to leucopenia and affects immune responses. Tumors of the immune system can also cause immune alterations, due to their very nature. However, in the absence of preventive routine exams, patients can bear tumors for rather long periods of time without any specific indication, not being particularly prone to contracting infectious diseases compared to cancer free individuals. In this review, we analyze the existing data on the effects of tumors on the immune system of cancer patients. An interesting pattern emerges, suggesting that immunosuppression exerted by tumors is mainly local, rather than systemic. However, some alterations in DCs of cancer patients have been recently described, indicating the interactions between tumor and immune cells may be more complex than previously imagined. This has important implications of the design of anti-tumor therapies as well as in patient quality of life.
Keywords: cancer, immunity, inflammation, immunotherapy, immunosuppressive, chemotherapy, leucopenia, anti-tumor therapies, cytokines, NKG2D
Anti-Inflammatory & Anti-Allergy Agents in Medicinal Chemistry
Title: The Immune System of Cancer Patients
Volume: 10 Issue: 4
Author(s): Carolina Torronteguy and Ana Paula Souza e Cristina Bonorino
Affiliation:
Keywords: cancer, immunity, inflammation, immunotherapy, immunosuppressive, chemotherapy, leucopenia, anti-tumor therapies, cytokines, NKG2D
Abstract: Although a great body of evidence is available on the immunosuppressive strategies employed by tumors in order to grow, cancer patients are not considered immunosuppressed individuals. Chemotherapy used in different cancer treatments frequently leads to leucopenia and affects immune responses. Tumors of the immune system can also cause immune alterations, due to their very nature. However, in the absence of preventive routine exams, patients can bear tumors for rather long periods of time without any specific indication, not being particularly prone to contracting infectious diseases compared to cancer free individuals. In this review, we analyze the existing data on the effects of tumors on the immune system of cancer patients. An interesting pattern emerges, suggesting that immunosuppression exerted by tumors is mainly local, rather than systemic. However, some alterations in DCs of cancer patients have been recently described, indicating the interactions between tumor and immune cells may be more complex than previously imagined. This has important implications of the design of anti-tumor therapies as well as in patient quality of life.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Torronteguy Carolina and Paula Souza e Cristina Bonorino Ana, The Immune System of Cancer Patients, Anti-Inflammatory & Anti-Allergy Agents in Medicinal Chemistry 2011; 10 (4) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/187152311797928126
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/187152311797928126 |
Print ISSN 1871-5230 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1875-614X |
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
Related Articles
-
Electric cable: cytoskeleton as an electric transmitter for cancer therapy
Current Signal Transduction Therapy Personalized & Precision Medicine in Cancer: A Theranostic Approach
Current Radiopharmaceuticals Appropriate Use of Antibiotics for the Management of Respiratory Tract Infections
Infectious Disorders - Drug Targets Clinical Immunotherapy of B-Cell Malignancy Using CD19-Targeted CAR T-Cells
Current Gene Therapy Progresses in TCM Metal-Based Antitumour Agents
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry 10 Years of SELDI: What Have we Learnt?
Current Proteomics Inflammation and Cancer: When NF-κB Amalgamates the Perilous Partnership
Current Cancer Drug Targets Vascular Endothelial Primary Cilia: Mechanosensation and Hypertension
Current Hypertension Reviews Four Major Factors Regulate Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase Signaling Pathway in Cancers Induced by Infection of Human Papillomaviruses
Current Medicinal Chemistry Systematic Analysis of the Expression Profile and Prognostic Significance of the IGF2BP Family in Lung Adenocarcinoma
Current Cancer Drug Targets miR-629-3p Level Significantly Predicts Prognosis in Glioblastoma Patients Treated with Temozolomide Chemotherapy
Current Signal Transduction Therapy Embryonic Stem Cell MicroRNAs: Defining Factors in Induced Pluripotent (iPS) and Cancer (CSC) Stem Cells?
Current Stem Cell Research & Therapy Incidentally Discovered Thyroid Nodules by Routine Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Cervical Spine: Incidence and Clinical Significance
Current Medical Imaging Ferroptosis: A Novel Mechanism of Artemisinin and its Derivatives in Cancer Therapy
Current Medicinal Chemistry PP2A in the Regulation of Cell Motility and Invasion
Current Protein & Peptide Science EGFR Inhibitors and Radiation in HNSCC
Current Cancer Therapy Reviews Ketogenic Diet and Other Dietary Intervention Strategies in the Treatment of Cancer
Current Medicinal Chemistry Anti-EGFR Binding Nanobody Delivery System to Improve the Diagnosis and Treatment of Solid Tumours
Recent Patents on Anti-Cancer Drug Discovery Current Advances in the Development of Anticancer Drugs Targeting Tyrosine Kinases of the Src Family
Current Drug Therapy Selective Cyclooxygenase-2 Inhibitors and Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
Current Medicinal Chemistry