Problems of Cancer Treatment. Part 2. Treatment Based on Modification of Anticancer Immunological Responses in Therapy

Abstract

Summary:Here we present the concept of making own patient's anti-cancer treatment more efficient and starting at testing the efficacy of immunological system. The respective tests are suggested, with special attention devoted to tumour-induced microenvironmental changes. The tumour should be considered to represent a complex tissue in which the cancer cells communicate directly and indirectly with the surrounding cellular immunological surrounding and develope traits that promote their own survival. The results of tests allow to propose a rational, individually profiled treatment of a patient, especially directed to elimination of blocks inhibiting the immunological system due to effects of cancer cells. The elimination can be implemented using commercially available antibodies, targeted at the cell surface receptors for inhibitors of T lymphocytes (CTLA-4 and PD-1). Outcome of the therapy is slow to appear and the results used to be selective. Some patients gain long term improvement and respective predictive markers are now tested. It is assumed that the future anti-cancer therapy will be individually targeted, based on individual tests and an assistance of own immunological system of the cancer patient.

Cancer immunotherapy in mice and humans: personal observations*

“…The treatment of B-CLL patients with anti-checkpoint blocker antibodies was unknown in 2003-2008 when we performed our study of apoptotic leukemia cell treatment in CLL patients. Since then, technological advances have led to the approval of immune checkpoint blocking monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of malignant lymphomas and B-CLL [57][58][59][60].…”