Mechanisms of Multimodal Immune Therapy for People with Cancer

Introduction It is well recognized that patients who have cancer have multiple defects in their immune signaling and intercellular communication pathways, else a tumor likely would not grow. Improvement in such pathways, in attempt to annihilate such growths and prevent their recurrence, is thus prudent. Current conventional therapy for cancer that has spread to distant sites is inadequate thus necessitating different strategies. Specific immunotherapy is one such strategy that, given the proper circumstances, is quite effective. Ultimately, lasting eradication of malignancy, as well as prevention of malignancy in the first place, depends solely upon competent immune function. Cytoreductive strategies, such as radio-or chemotherapy, serve their intended purpose of rapid tumor reduction but are hopeless at creating or even enabling a full endogenous immunological response. Unsurprisingly, then, such therapies diminish self-defense mechanisms leaving the host susceptible not only to infectious disease, but to recurrence and metastasis of their cancer as well.