Abstract IA15: Immune control of breast cancer metastasis

Twenty to thirty percent of breast cancer patients eventually develop metastasis despite receiving state-of-the-art therapies. Clearly, identifying better ways to eliminate micro-metastatic tumor cells is paramount to eradicating death from breast cancer. We now know that every tumor is unique and that each tumor is heterogenous. Tumors hijack multiple, redundant pathways to survive and grow, and evolve resistance under selective pressure from therapy. Moreover, micro-metastatic cancer cells may be dormant and resistant to therapy. Thus, traditional approaches to treat cancer and prevent metastatic recurrences don't work for everyone.Stimulating the immune system to kill cancer cells (known as immunotherapy) carries strong appeal: the response can be individualized; the immune system is effective against diverse pathogens (in this case, tumor antigens); and immunity can evolve and retain memory for long-term control of disease. The challenge is that by the time tumors are clinically detectable they are already ‘invisible’ to the immune system due to a number of factors: (1) natural selection for tumor cells that can escape immune control; (2) immune tolerance to self- and tumor-antigens; and (3) the strongly immunosuppressive environment in tumors, which renders effector cells inactive. A better understanding of how tumors achieve immune evasion will allow development of strategies to promote more effective anti-tumor immunity.We have determined that Ron protein k...
Source: Molecular Cancer Research - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Tags: Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy: Oral Presentations - Invited Abstracts Source Type: research