Cancer Immunotherapies: History, Players, and Mechanisms

This lecture covers the history of the idea that the immune system can control cancer, from Paul Ehrlich's early thoughts to the modern understanding of immunosurveillance. It discusses the role of tumor antigens, the cancer immunity cycle, and the immune system players involved in immunotherapy. The presentation delves into the innate and adaptive immune responses, the importance of MHC in antigen presentation, and the dynamic evolution of the tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, it explores how tumors evade the immune response through mechanisms like inhibitory cytokines and antigen presentation repression. The lecture concludes with an overview of cancer immunotherapy, highlighting the factors that promote immune escape.