Immunosuppressive Factors in Cancer

Tumor cells avoid attack from the host immune system by expressing a variety of different molecules including: cytokines, prostaglandins, polyamines, enzymes, cell surface receptors, and shed antigens. Cancers that are successful in evading host antitumor defenses tend to persist, enlarge, and ultimately metastasize. Thus, an accurate identification and understanding of the various immunosuppressive factors that tumor cells employ to impair the host immune response is critical for the development of effective treatments for cancer patients. Overcoming these evasive mechanisms may be the last major obstacle to the generation of universally successful cancer therapeutics. Keywords: Anergy; Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase; Polyamines; Tolerance; Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocyte