A Darwinian perspective on tumor immune evasion

Julieann Puleo; Kornelia Polyak

doi:10.1016/j.bbcan.2021.188671

A Darwinian perspective on tumor immune evasion

Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer. 2022 Jan;1877(1):188671. doi: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2021.188671. Epub 2021 Dec 18.

Authors

Julieann Puleo¹, Kornelia Polyak²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
² Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: kornelia_polyak@dfci.harvard.edu.

Abstract

Evading immune-mediated destruction is a critical step of tumor evolution and the immune system is one of the strongest selective pressures during tumorigenesis. Analyzing tumor immune evasion from a Darwinian perspective may provide critical insight into the mechanisms of primary immune escape and acquired resistance to immunotherapy. Here, we review the steps required to mount an anti-tumor immune response, describe how each of these steps is disrupted during tumorigenesis, list therapeutic strategies to restore anti-tumor immunity, and discuss each mechanism of immune and therapeutic evasion from a Darwinian perspective.

Keywords: Breast cancer; Immune evasion; Tumor evolution.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Carcinogenesis
Humans
Immunotherapy
Neoplasms* / pathology
Tumor Escape*
Tumor Microenvironment

Grants and funding

R35 CA197623/CA/NCI NIH HHS/United States