Antitumor immunity

Antitumor immunity represents a complex collection of reactions used by human organism against tumors. During last decades the content of the concept of immune surveillance has been largely developed and changed. The characterization of tumor antigens brought us the understanding of the possible principles of the immune antitumor activity. The defence mechanisms of the tumors against the immune system attack(s) are today investigated and are an interesting target for therapy. An interesting, nevertheless, rather unknown phenomenon is the spontaneous regression of tumors. The elucidation of the pathways of this phenomenon would possibly open a new modality in the tumor therapy. (author)