Submit Article
Back to Journal

SM Vaccines and Vaccination Journal

Immunotherapy and Vaccination as Cancer Treatments

Abstract
Details

Received: 31-Dec-2015

Accepted: 27-Jan-2016

Published: 29-Jan-2016

Special Article | Volume 2 - Issue 1 | Article DOI :

Download PDF

Kyle Sutherland1 , Adryan Perez1 and Chuanhai Cao1,2,3*

1Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Florida, Florida

2Department of Neurology, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Florida

3Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, USF Health Byrd Alzheimer’s Center, Florida

Corresponding Author:

Chuanhai Cao, Department of

Pharmaceutical Sciences, USF/Byrd

Alzheimer’s Institute, Florida, Tel: (813)

396-0711; Fax: (813) 971-6478;

Keywords

Cancer; Immunotherapy; Antigen; Immune System; T-cell; B-cell; Dendritic Cell; Antibody; Oncology

Abstract

Cancer can eventually develop randomly in anyone at any age. However, characteristic to most cancer cases is a loss of identity in the affected cells. At the birth of each cell, the cell is recognized as “self” by the body’s defense against illness- the immune system. However, if cells develop into a cancer cell line in their lifetime, they ultimately lose their “self-ness” and begin to develop new proteins, now known as novel antigens, that are no longer seen as “self” by the body. This feature makes cancer cells an optimal target for treatment via elimination by the immune system. By arming and modulating the immune system through immunotherapy, it is possible to assist the immune system in the elimination and prevention of cancer. In this review, we will discuss all the current viable treatments of cancer, and why immunotherapy and vaccination maybe our best bets for future prevention and treatment.

Citation

Sutherland K, Perez A and Cao C. Immunotherapy and Vaccination as Cancer Treatments. SM Vaccine Vaccin. 2016; 2(1): 1013.