Immunotherapy in Cancer Treatment

Abstract

Various kinds of immunotherapy treatment for cancer are either available to the public or are in the process of clinical trials. Immunotherapy treatments have the potential to treat cancer with significantly less toxicity than chemotherapy and radiation treatments. An emphasis on cellular infusion as a method of either enhancing the immune system by creating an environment for sequestering the host immune system to attack cancer cells or more directly inserting cells to directly attack cancer cells will be provided in this review. Various forms of cancer vaccines are also discussed in this paper as an important aspect in immunotherapy. This review seeks to describe various methodologies associated with administering immunotherapy in the treatment of cancer.

Oncolytic Viruses—Natural and Genetically Engineered Cancer Immunotherapies

“…Traditional oncological approaches, including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, aim to directly remove or kill cancer cells. In contrast, immunotherapy seeks to enhance the host immune system’s ability to eliminate cancer cells resulting in tumor regression, antitumor immune memory formation, and ultimately in durable responses ( 1 , 2 ). Induction of the host immune system via increases in innate and adaptive immune surveillance of and response against the tumor can provide lasting positive outcomes in cancer patients ( 3 ).…”

“…The predilection of these viruses to preferentially infect tumor cells while sparing normal surrounding cells allows for an excellent therapeutic ratio. The ability of OVs to cause immune infiltration into tumors bridges the gap to immunotherapy ( 1 , 4 – 6 ), and immunologic outcomes are being reported from ongoing and completed clinical trials (Table 1 ).…”