Immunomodulation in cancer. what do we do and where do we go?
Rodríguez Orozco, A.R.; Serriteño, N.M.
Revista Alergia Mexico 52(2): 96-101
2005
ISSN/ISBN: 0002-5151 PMID: 16158783 Document Number: 585964
In the last few years we have witnessed a reorientation process in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, and advances in cancer research point to the need for selective or specific immunomodulation therapies. In this article we remark on generalities of the immune response against tumors, highlighting both: mechanisms that underlie immune evasion by tumors and host defense mechanisms against malignancies. We also discuss current experience with the use of biological response modifiers in cancer and of immunomodulation therapies, in terms of accumulated effectiveness and adverse events of new biological response modifiers. We conclude that therapies with BRMs are hopeful and effective strategies to treat cancer, either alone or in combination with chemotherapy, surgery or radiations. Immunomodulation seem to be one of the most promising therapies for the control of malignant diseases.