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Immunological aspects of cancer chemotherapy

2007; Nature Portfolio; Volume: 8; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1038/nri2216

1474-1741

Laurence Zitvogel, Lionel Apétoh, François Ghiringhelli, Guido Kroemer,

Immune Cell Function and Interaction

Here, the authors describe how the antitumour effects of many conventional cancer treatments involve the immune system, by promoting immunogenic tumour-cell death or by direct stimulation of immune cells. Taking advantage of this 'bystander effect' may help in the fight against cancer. Accumulating evidence indicates that the innate and adaptive immune systems make a crucial contribution to the antitumour effects of conventional chemotherapy-based and radiotherapy-based cancer treatments. Moreover, the molecular and cellular bases of the immunogenicity of cell death that is induced by cytotoxic agents are being progressively unravelled, challenging the guidelines that currently govern the development of anticancer drugs. Here, we review the immunological aspects of conventional cancer treatments and propose that future successes in the fight against cancer will rely on the development and clinical application of combined chemo- and immunotherapies.