Cancer and the Immune System: History and Theory
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Overview/Key Objectives

Contributing Editors:


Jennifer L. Ersek, PhD
David Foureau, PhD
Edward S. Kim, MD

Module Overview


The immune system has a well-established role in human cancers. Recently, many advances in the treatment of cancer have been due, in part, to manipulation of the immune system. This module provides users with a brief overview of the history of cancer immunotherapies and includes a description of a newer hallmark of cancer – evasion from the immune system. The module concludes with an explanation of the theories of immune surveillance, immunoediting and the cancer-immunity cycle.

Module Objectives


Upon completion of this module, participants should be able to:

  • Describe milestones in the history of cancer immunotherapy development
  • Understand the immunoediting process, including the 3Es
  • Explain the immune surveillance theory
  • Identify the steps of the cancer-immunity cycle