In health, the immune system plays a key role in protecting us not only from infectious disease, but also from the development of cancer; immune cells recognize and destroy harmful agents, whether pathogens or malignant cells.
With cancer, tumor growth begins to outpace immune system activity, as malignant cells accumulate genetic changes that block an effective immune response.
Cancer researchers have long sought a mechanism to combat these anti-immune effects and reactivate the body’s own natural defenses against cancer; these efforts have come to fruition in recent years with the development and FDA approval of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy.
