Immunotherapy: Open Access
Open Access
ISSN: 2471-9552
ISSN: 2471-9552
Ammu K Radhakrishnan
International Medical University, Malaysia
Posters & Accepted Abstracts: Immunother Open Acc
The immune system is a complex body system that plays a key role in keeping the host safe from infections and cancers. Cancer cells are actually the progeny of transformed host cells that have lost their ability to control the cell cycle process. These cells are capable of rapid growth and metastasis. Lymphocytes, in particular the T-lymphocytes have very crucial roles to play in the fight against cancers. However, as tumors are actually â??self â? that have transformed, it is extremely difficult to activate host immune system against cancers. The immune system generally does not mount responses against â??self â? due to immunological tolerance. So, the T-lymphocytes have to be appropriately activated so that the host can generate effective anti-cancer effects. The T-helper cells, when activated, direct the overall immune response by producing different cytokines. The T-helper cells were originally classified as Th1 and Th2 cells and the reciprocal effects of these cells have been well documented. The Th1 cells mediate cell-mediated immune responses, which play a crucial role in the fight against cancers. More recently, many more T-helper subsets have been reported. The T-helper cells undergo dynamic epigenetic changes as they develop and respond to various challenges to the immune system. Several approaches have been used to activate host immune system against cancers such as dendritic cell (DC) immunotherapy, adoptive T-cell immunotherapy, nutrition and other types of adjuvants as well as selective suppression of the T-regulatory cells. This paper will discuss the effectiveness of some of these immunotherapeutic approaches in the fight against cancers.