Cited by 1,058Cancer Immunotherapy and BiomarkersImmunotherapy and Immune ResponsesCancer Genomics and Diagnostics

Natural selection of tumor variants in the generation of “tumor escape” phenotypes

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Khong, Hung T., Restifo, Nicholas P.·2002·Nature Immunology

Abstract

The idea that tumors must "escape" from immune recognition contains the implicit assumption that tumors can be destroyed by immune responses either spontaneously or as the result of immunotherapeutic intervention. Simply put, there is no need for tumor escape without immunological pressure. Here, we review evidence supporting the immune escape hypothesis and critically explore the mechanisms that may allow such escape to occur. We discuss the idea that the central engine for generating immunoresistant tumor cell variants is the genomic instability and dysregulation that is characteristic of the transformed genome. "Natural selection" of heterogeneous tumor cells results in the survival and proliferation of variants that happen to possess genetic and epigenetic traits that facilitate their growth and immune evasion. Tumor escape variants are likely to emerge after treatment with increasingly effective immunotherapies.

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Crossref · 10.1038/ni1102-999

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  • Fas/Fas ligand interplay is involved in immune evasion, with neoplasms showing resistance to Fas-mediated cytotoxicity and FasL expression potentially resulting in immune effector cell apoptosis.

    “Additionally, evidence supports the involvement of Fas/Fas Ligand (FasL) interplay in immune evasion [77], with neoplasms showing resistance to Fas-mediated cytotoxicity and FasL expression potentially resulting in immune effector cells apoptosis [76,78].”
  • Down-regulation of the HLA class I antigen in colorectal cancer enables neoplastic cells to evade cytotoxic T cell lymphocyte-mediated lysis.

    “The down-regulation of the HLA class I antigen in CRC, for instance, enables neoplastic cells to evade cytotoxic T cell lymphocyte (CTL) mediated lysis by bypassing the MHC-restricted, antigen-specific triggering of the T-cell receptor (TCR) complex [76].”

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Authors
Khong, H. T., & Restifo, N. P.
Affiliations
National Institutes of Health (US)
Corresponding author
  • Khong, Hung T.
  • Restifo, Nicholas P.
Venue
Nature Immunology
Published
2002-11
Volume
3
Issue
11
Pages
999-1005
ISSN
  • 1529-2908 (ISSN-L)
  • 1529-2916
OpenAlex
W2051940153
Cited by
1,058
References
104
Citations by year
2026: 17 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 33 · 2023: 45 · 2022: 35 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 40 · 2019: 39 · 2018: 38 · 2017: 51 · 2016: 32 · 2015: 43 · 2014: 41 · 2013: 63 · 2012: 44
FWCI
5.47
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Immunology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • University of Regensburg Publication Server (University of Regensburg)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (Z99 CA999999)
  • National Cancer Institute (Z01BC010763)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer Immunotherapy and Biomarkers
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Immunotherapy and Immune Responses
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cancer Research › Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics
Keywords
tumor immune evasion, natural selection, tumor heterogeneity, tumor variants, genomic instability, immunoresistance, epigenetic regulation, cancer immunotherapy resistance, immune evasion
MeSH terms
Animals, Antigens, Neoplasm, HLA Antigens, Humans, Immunologic Surveillance, Immunotherapy, Killer Cells, Natural, Neoplasms, Selection, Genetic, T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic, Immunodominant Epitopes, Cytokines, Apoptosis, Models, Immunological, Disease Progression, Tumor Escape, T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory, Mice

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