Cancer Immunology

Immune surveillance : a normal function of the

immune system is to survey the body
emerging malignant cells and destroy them.
Ex : infiltrates lymphocytic, lymph node draining
sites
Concept of tumor immune surveilance :
• Protective role
• effect of the immune system for tumor
variants. (detection and rejection)
 Tumor antigen
Classified into two categories :
• TSA (present only on tumor cells and not any
normal cells)
• TAA (present on tumor cells and also on some
normal cells)
• Characterize tumor antigen relied on producing
monoclonal antibodies spesicif for tumor cells
and defining the antigen that these antibodies
recognized by cytotoxic T lymphocytes
Neoplastic transformation, resut from genetic
alterations in protooncogens and tumor
suppressor genes.
Product of these mutated genes can also be
potential tumor antigens.
Several viruses are associated with cancer.
These viruses produce proteins that are
recognized as foreign by the immune system.
(HPV and EBV)
 Clinical aspects of neoplasia
• Local and hormonal effects
• Cancer cachexia
• Paraneoplastic syndrome
 Grading and Staging of Tumors
Grading of cancer is based on the degree of
differentiation of the tumor cells and, in some
cancers, the number of mitoses or
architectural features.
Grading : low grade or high grade
Correlation betwen hostologic appearance and
biologic behavior
Staging of cancer is based on the size of the
prymary lesion, its extent of spread to regional
lymph node, and and the presence or absence
of blood-borne metastases.