Some Evidence for Clinical Relevance of Cytokine-Mediated Interactions between Tumor Cells and the Immune System

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Abstract
It becomes more and more evident that the regulation of immune defense is not only governed by immunostimulatory cytokines. The importance of cytokines, which downregulate immune functions, has been recognized over the last couple of years. Several molecules with immunosuppressive activity have been identified. Since these molecules are not only produced by immunocompetent cells but also by a number of tumor cells, escape from immune surveillance mediated by tumor-derived immunosuppressive factors may be a very important step in the development of malignant disease. A better understanding of the molecular activities of these immuno-suppressive factors in the dysregulation of anti-tumor immunity and in the clinical course of malignant disease is necessary. Since cytokine suppression in tumor patients may influence survival, the clinical importance of an impairment of the immune defense has to be considered and modulations of cytokines by tumor-derived immuno-suppressive factors have to be further investigated. Due to the fact that most, if not all, malignancies are characterized by the production of immunosuppressive molecules, antagonism of these mechanisms used by the tumor to prevent its immunological elimination may open new strategies for oncological therapy.

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