Cancer Immunosurveillance

Tumorigenesis is associated with anti-tumor immune activation,

which through phase of relative equilibrium finally gets subverted by the proliferating tumor cells,

leading to eventual immune escape of the tumor (Dunn GP et al, 2004).

Gradual evolution of an immuno-suppressive milieu in the tumor micro-environment along with immunoediting of the tumor cells contributes to the tumor growth and eventual immune escape. On the other hand, chronic inflammation has been implicated as an initiation trigger in numerous cancers.

Taking them together, it is beyond doubt that intratumoral immune infiltrate play an instrumental role in cancer growth and survival. So immune monitoring of the tumor micro-environment is an integral part of any study on the natural history of cancer in terms of diagnosis, prognosis and therapy.