Recent Immunotherapeutic Approaches to Cancer Treatment

Cancer is a broad term representing a wide spectrum of conditions which involve unrestrained growth of cells. It results from malfunctioning in the regulation of cell division, differentiation, and survival. Generally, the immune system detects the altered antigenic profile exhibited by tumors and eliminates them, but many tumors evade the immune-surveillance system. Harnessing the inherent potential of immune cells to recognize and destroy altered cells has been explored by researchers for a long time to develop immunotherapy for cancer treatment. In this chapter, the reference to the historical perspective of immunotherapy and the role of the immune system and various cells involved in the tumor microenvironment have been made to comprehend a variety of immunotherapeutic approaches for the treatment of cancer. Inclusive details of tumor immunology are beyond the scope of this chapter, although various specific and nonspecific immunotherapeutic strategies including monoclonal antibodies, adoptive T-cell therapy, and cancer vaccines have been explained. These immunotherapeutic strategies, which are at various stages of development, are likely to enhance our ability to harness the immune system to combat cancer and thus become an additional modality along with existing therapeutic approaches.