Immunotherapeutic Strategies to Target Prognostic and Predictive Markers of Cancer

Abstract

Throughout the last century medical advances in cancer treatment in the fields of surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy have greatly impacted patients' survival rates. Nevertheless, cancer remains a significant cause of mortality, with an estimated 7.6 million deaths worldwide in 2008, reflecting the inability of existing therapies to effectively cure disease. The emergence of vaccines and their successes in preventing the spread of infectious diseases has demonstrated the unique specificity and therapeutic potential of the immune system. This potential has driven the development of novel cancer immunotherapeutics. This review focuses on the current status of the use of immunologic effectors to target known biomarkers in cancer.

Cancer and orofacial pain

“…However, these immunotherapeutic approaches to restore the survival and function of the immune effectors, in addition to tumor specific targets to eradicate cancer without causing damage to healthy organs and tissue, remain a challenge (53-55). Therefore, the paradox rests in that extending the life of the cancer patient may extend the duration of experiencing pain and therefore, living with a quality of life less than optimal.…”

Curcumin Boosts up the Efficacy of Imatinib Mesylate in Chronic Myelogenic Leukemia Cell Line K-562 by Modulation of Various Markers

“…Several proteins called tumor markers are aberrantly expressed in cancer and their deregulation leads to carcinogenesis. Treatment strategy is based on targeting these markers (Magee et al, 2013). Drugs, used in the treatment of cancer often show severe toxicity and associated side effects (Naidu et al, 2004), though they differ in their mechanism of action and impact on an individual.…”

Translational Medicine Individualizes Healthcare Discovery, Development and Delivery

“…The model of bench-to-bedside translation is highlighted by Magee et al, who are developing novel immunotherapeutic approaches for patients with colorectal cancer anchored in the discovery of a key molecular marker that is selectively expressed in metastatic cancer cells [15]. Indeed, this molecular marker has been the focus of numerous clinical trials of its utility as a prognostic and predictive staging marker in colorectal cancer.…”

“…Indeed, this molecular marker has been the focus of numerous clinical trials of its utility as a prognostic and predictive staging marker in colorectal cancer. More recently this marker has been positioned to enter clinical trials as a vaccine target for the secondary prevention of metastatic colorectal cancer [15]. Moreover, the deployment of this type of molecular innovation in translational medicine is being facilitated by essential key knowledge domains in comparative effectiveness and health services research, in the science of knowledge dissemination, and in the nucleation of multidisciplinary teams spanning disparate communities of practice [7,16].…”