One of the
reasons associated with the development of
metastases is the ability of cancer cells to
evade the immune system. Although the
interactions immune system and tumor cells
are complex, current data indicate that
there is active “fight” between the defense
system and the tumor mass. The mechanisms
associated with the ability of tumor cells
to evade the host immune system mechanisms
may be active (e.g., production of cytokines
affecting the immune response) and/or
passive (e.g., passive selection of the
tumor cell without any recognizable antigen)
In some cancers, like melanoma and
renal cell carcinoma, boosting the immune
responses either by the administration of
systemic treatments (e.g., IL-2, IFN) or
more specific vaccines has shown some
clinical success. However, mechanisms behind
the development of an immune response
resulting in the cancer cure in some cancer
patients remain unknown. The laboratory in
collaboration with
Dr. Ian Marriott is interested in
tumor cell expression of genes susceptible
to modulate/redirect the immune response.
These genes/proteins may be clear targets
for the development of efficient cancer
treatment.