Review

Immunology of lung cancer

Manoj Pandey and Kumkum Jha
World Journal of Pathology 2012, 1:16

Abstract

Lung cancer is the most common malignant disease. This cancer is basically derived from epithelial cells. Increased knowledge of immunology and current therapies has opened perspectives for the use of immunotherapy in the management of lung cancer patients.

In the present communication lung cancer immunotherapy is studied in detail. Both active and passive immunotherapy is used for diagnosis and treatment. Active immunotherapy includes tumor antigens. Tumor antigens are antigenic substances produced in tumor cells and are potential candidates for use in cancer therapy.

Passive immunotherapy includes both humoral and cell mediated immune response. Humoral immune response study was carried out by using monoclonal antibodies. Recent advancement in monoclonal antibody technology provides new approaches for lung cancer treatment and diagnosis. Cellular immune response against tumor mediated cells included natural killer (NK) cells; lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells; cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTL); and activated macrophages. These cells alone or with cytokines or interferon’s provide new efficient therapeutic approaches. Studies have also shown additional anti-tumoral effects using these cells and molecular bioengineering. Recently adhesion molecules have also documented their role in immune response. This communication also includes immunocompetence of lung cancer patients.

The advancement in studies has revived the dream of designing tumor vaccines and active specific immunotherapy.

Download PDF    Full Text