Tumor Immunotherapy, History and Achievements

Cancer treatment is one of the main fields in basic and clinical research. Immunotherapy or using immune response is considered as one of the most important and effective complementary approaches in cancer therapy after surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In recent years many clinical trials have investigated this approach. The complications involved in immune response against a tumor calls for appropriate protocol in cancer immunotherapy. Direct and active immune response in cancer immunotherapy using components of the immune system such as stimulating the patient's own immune cells and injection of in vitro stimulated immune cells into the individual is called active immunotherapy. Applying the products of immune system, like monoclonal antibodies and cytokines is called passive immunotherapy. Another approach for cancer immunotherapy is based on the classification of components used in immunotherapy including cellular immunotherapy (DC, T cell and NK cell), monoclonal antibody, cytokine therapy, vaccines, and DNA-mediated immunotherapy using viruses and bacteria. New findings indicate that combination of immune therapies and chemotherapy could be more effective in cancer treatments. In this review a history of accomplishments in immunology and the future prospects of cancer treatment by immune system have been discussed.