Synonyms
Definition
Cancer-induced immunosuppression is a survival/defense mechanism used by cancer cells to escape elimination by the immune system. Immunosuppression is the act of inhibiting or dampening the functional activity of immune cells.
Characteristics
A highly dynamic relationship exists between cancer and the immune system, which can shape the evolution of the disease (Schreiber et al. 2011). For a cancer to survive and grow, it must overcome immune-mediated barriers to oncogenesis. It can do this by hijacking host regulatory mechanisms that function to maintain normal immune cell homeostasis and self-tolerance. Cancer cells can suppress the generation of anticancer immune responses by: (i) losing or downregulating key communicative links with the immune system, (ii) secreting factors that dampen or alter the functional activity of immune cells, and (iii) influencing the recruitment of regulatory immune cells that function to shut down ongoing...
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References
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See Also
(2012) Adaptive immunity. In: Schwab M (ed) Encyclopedia of cancer, 3rd edn. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg, pp 42–43. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-16483-5_74
(2012) Cytokine. In: Schwab M (ed) Encyclopedia of cancer, 3rd edn. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg, p 1051. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-16483-5_1473
(2012) Immune system. In: Schwab M (ed) Encyclopedia of cancer, 3rd edn. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg, p 1815. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-16483-5_2980
(2012) Immunogenecity. In: Schwab M (ed) Encyclopedia of cancer, 3rd edn. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg, p 1819. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-16483-5_2989
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Glossary
- Adaptive Immunity
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Acquired or learned immunity. The adaptive immune system comprises of circulating white blood cells including T lymphocytes [CD4+ (helper T cells) and CD8+ (cytotoxic/killer cells)] and B lymphocytes, which give rise to antibody-producing plasma cells. Such cells express antigen-specific receptors formed by gene rearrangements. Adaptive immune responses are directed against specific antigens and afford protection against reexposure to the same antigens through the development of immunological memory.
- Cancer
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A disease characterized by the abnormal growth and division of a population of cells that have the potential to invade or spread to multiple organs/tissues of the body.
- Chemokines
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A group of chemotactic cytokines that provide directional cues for the movement of immune cells.
- Cytokines
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A class of small immune-regulatory proteins that are secreted by cells as a means of communication and coordinating immune responses.
- Genomic Stability
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Refers to the integrity of the genetic material of a cell. Genomic stability is often lost in cancer cells due to the accumulation of abnormal changes or mutations in the DNA or chromosomes of a cell. Such changes can cause loss of DNA or the mis-expression of genes that can drive cancer development.
- Immune System
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Is a complex network of biological structures and cells designed to protect against disease.
- Immunogenicity
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The degree to which a substance possesses the ability to provoke an immune response.
- Innate Immunity
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The innate immune system is the body’s first line of defense against foreign pathogens. It comprises of circulating white blood cells including: natural killer (NK) cells, macrophages, dendritic cells (DCs), basophils, neutrophils, and eosinophils. Such cells express germ line-encoded receptors that are not directed against specific antigens. Innate immune responses do not give rise to immunological memory.
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Haynes, N.M. (2017). Immunosuppression and Cancer. In: Schwab, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Cancer. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-46875-3_3012
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-46875-3_3012
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