Immunology Chapter 17 – Cancer and its interaction with the
immune system
Incidence: the number of new cases of cancer
Cancer types
- Carcinomas arise from epithelia (±85% of all cancers – so high because
epithelia form outer surface of the body and outer surface of digestive system
- Adenocarcinomas arise from glandular tissue (e.g. breast)
- Sarcomas arise from mesodermal tissues (e.g. bone, muscle)
- Lymphomas arise from (progenitors of) white blood cells
- Leukemias arise from immune cells
Development of cancer (oncogenese/carcinogenesis)
Normal epithelium hyperplasia dysplasia carcinoma in
situ invasive carcinoma lymph node and distant
metastases (uitzaaiingen)
Oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes
- Oncogenes: drivers of tumor cell proliferation
- Tumor suppressor genes (p53): inhibitors of tumor cell proliferation
o Cell cycle arrest or senescence (quiescent stage of the cell)
o DNA repair
o Apoptosis
o Inhibition of angiogenesis
But, 50% of human cancer have mutation in p53
Cancer arise from a single cell with accumulated mutations.
Mutations increase upon aging (more accumulation of mutations in the DNA because
accumulation takes time) and via exposure to mutagens and carcinogens (UV-
radiation, X-ray radiation, smoking, asbestos).
Certain viral infections can also lead to cancer development: HPV (gential warts
(benign) and cervix carcinoma), hepatitis B virus (liver cancer) and Epstein-Barr virus
(Burkitt’s lymphoma)
Cancer and the immune system
Initially cancer hallmarks (without immune system):
- Evasion of growth inhibitor signals
- Evasion of cell death
- Metastasis
- Angiogenesis
Immune system can recognize and eliminate cancer cells =
immunosurveillance
- DC take up tumor antigens and present them to T cells and there is
activation of CTL which can kill tumor cells
- NK cells can recognize tumor cells and kill them
2 types of tumor antigens
1. Tumor specific antigens: can only be found in tumor cells
immune system
Incidence: the number of new cases of cancer
Cancer types
- Carcinomas arise from epithelia (±85% of all cancers – so high because
epithelia form outer surface of the body and outer surface of digestive system
- Adenocarcinomas arise from glandular tissue (e.g. breast)
- Sarcomas arise from mesodermal tissues (e.g. bone, muscle)
- Lymphomas arise from (progenitors of) white blood cells
- Leukemias arise from immune cells
Development of cancer (oncogenese/carcinogenesis)
Normal epithelium hyperplasia dysplasia carcinoma in
situ invasive carcinoma lymph node and distant
metastases (uitzaaiingen)
Oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes
- Oncogenes: drivers of tumor cell proliferation
- Tumor suppressor genes (p53): inhibitors of tumor cell proliferation
o Cell cycle arrest or senescence (quiescent stage of the cell)
o DNA repair
o Apoptosis
o Inhibition of angiogenesis
But, 50% of human cancer have mutation in p53
Cancer arise from a single cell with accumulated mutations.
Mutations increase upon aging (more accumulation of mutations in the DNA because
accumulation takes time) and via exposure to mutagens and carcinogens (UV-
radiation, X-ray radiation, smoking, asbestos).
Certain viral infections can also lead to cancer development: HPV (gential warts
(benign) and cervix carcinoma), hepatitis B virus (liver cancer) and Epstein-Barr virus
(Burkitt’s lymphoma)
Cancer and the immune system
Initially cancer hallmarks (without immune system):
- Evasion of growth inhibitor signals
- Evasion of cell death
- Metastasis
- Angiogenesis
Immune system can recognize and eliminate cancer cells =
immunosurveillance
- DC take up tumor antigens and present them to T cells and there is
activation of CTL which can kill tumor cells
- NK cells can recognize tumor cells and kill them
2 types of tumor antigens
1. Tumor specific antigens: can only be found in tumor cells
