Harnessing the immune system for the treatment of breast cancer

研究目的:这篇综述主要阐述了免疫系统在乳腺癌发生、发展和转移过程中的双向作用,以及乳腺癌的最新免疫治疗方法。重要结论:免疫系统能够杀灭肿瘤细胞,但是由于肿瘤导致的慢性炎症反应却可以促进肿瘤生长和转移。因此,乳腺癌免疫调节治疗包括增强抗肿瘤免疫细胞功能、肿瘤疫苗、去除抑制性免疫细胞或者抑制性细胞因子、抑制免疫抑制信号。

Standard treatment options for breast cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and targeted therapies, such as adjuvant hormonal therapy and monoclonal antibodies. Recently, the recognition that chronic inflammation in the tumor microenvironment promotes tumor growth and survival during different stages of breast cancer development has led to the development of novel immunotherapies. Several immunotherapeutic strategies have been studied both preclinically and clinically and already have been shown to enhance the efficacy of conven- tional treatment modalities. Therefore, therapies targeting the immune system may represent a promising next-generation approach for the treatment of breast cancers. This review will discuss recent findings that elucidate the roles of suppressive immune cells and proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in the tumor-promoting microen- vironment, and the most current immunotherapeutic strategies in breast cancer.