Cancer Immune Therapy Edited by G. Stuhler and P. Walden ...

Fig. 10.1 Two models for antitumor
immunity. The level of sensitivity with
which the immune system can evolve to
respond to tumor-associated mutations
is shaped by competing influences. The
two extreme models are (A) that the immune
system has evolved to treat tumors
as it would a foreign pathogen
and be hyper-responsive to even small
mutations in cellular oncoproteins or
(B) that it is completely unresponsive to
tumors, which are essentially self, to
10.1 Commitment and the Modern Immune System
avoid the consequences of autoimmunity.
The bottom line shows that the immune
system cannot afford to adopt
either of these two extremes. Therefore,
it has evolved a broad, rather than exquisite,
recognition of tumor-associated
mutations as a compromise that ensures
the balance between disease control
and disease promotion. In general
terms, this delays cancer occurrence
and makes it a disease of later life.
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