Immunotherapy Overview and Classifications

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary purpose of tumor vaccines?

To prevent cancer from developing

To replace traditional chemotherapy treatments

To reduce the size of tumors through direct injection

To stimulate immune responses against existing cancers (correct)

What characterizes a personalized cancer vaccine?

It is designed for mass production and distribution.

It uses a standard set of antigens common to all cancers.

It is tailored specifically for each patient’s unique tumor antigens. (correct)

It relies solely on a patient's historical response to vaccines.

How do tumor-specific vaccines typically function?

By mixing antigens with adjuvants to enhance the immune response (correct)

By inducing a temporary immune tolerance

By promoting the production of cytokines only

By directly killing tumor cells upon administration

What technique is employed to enhance the effectiveness of dendritic cell-based vaccines?

Pre-exposing dendritic cells to tumor cells or antigens before administration Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements is true regarding the prevention of tumors caused by oncogenic viruses?

Vaccination against these viruses can help prevent tumor development. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes the combined use of anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 in melanoma treatment from the use of anti-CTLA-4 alone?

Combined therapy has a different mechanism of action. Signup and view all the answers

Which type of vaccine provides long-lasting, protective immunity without causing disease?

Live vaccines Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of sterile protection in vaccination?

Quick amplification of the immune response. Signup and view all the answers

What type of vaccine is exemplified by the Hepatitis B vaccine?

Plasma derived vaccine Signup and view all the answers

Which cytokine therapy is primarily used in immunotherapy to enhance T cell response?

Interleukin-2 Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary focus of personalized cancer vaccines?

Tailoring to individual tumor profiles Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes the mechanism of action of tumor vaccines?

They provide an antigenic stimulus to activate the immune system. Signup and view all the answers

In what way can adoptive T cell therapy improve cancer treatment outcomes?

By infusing T cells that are specifically targeted to cancer antigens. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary aim of active immunotherapy?

To amplify the patient's existing immune response Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a method of active immunotherapy?

Monoclonal antibodies Signup and view all the answers

What role do cytokines play in immunotherapy?

They enhance immune responses Signup and view all the answers

Adoptive immunotherapy primarily involves which of the following?

Transferring activated, specific lymphocytes Signup and view all the answers

Tumor vaccines primarily aim to target which aspect of cancer treatment?

Eliciting an immune response against tumor antigens Signup and view all the answers

Personalized cancer vaccines are designed to...

Target specific antigens unique to an individual's cancer cells Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a characteristic of passive immunotherapy?

Involves administration of pre-made antibodies Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following therapies aims to create a depot of antigens at the application site?

Adjuvant activity Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Immunotherapy Definition

Immunotherapy is a medical treatment for disease by inducing, enhancing, or suppressing the immune response.

Immunotherapy Classifications

Activation immunotherapies: Designed to elicit or amplify an immune response.
Suppression immunotherapies: Designed to reduce, suppress, or appropriately direct an existing immune response, such as in autoimmunity or allergy.

Activation Immunotherapies

Active immunotherapy: Stimulates the patient's immune system to produce a stronger immune response (humoral or cell-mediated immunity or both) through:
Vaccines
Cytokines
Adjuvants
Passive immunotherapy: Provides the patient's body with pre-made antibodies.

Cancer Immunotherapy

Main strategies: Include introducing anti-tumor antibodies and autologous T cells that recognize tumor antigens, and enhancing patient's anti-tumor immune responses using antibodies that block immune checkpoints and vaccination.
History of cancer immunotherapies: Development of methods has evolved over time, encompassing various treatments and discoveries.

Adjuvant Activity

Formation of antigen depot: Primaries at the site of application to release antigen over a variable period.
Increased antigen uptake: into antigen-presenting cells (APCs).
Induction of enhancing factors: Such as cytokines.
Additional functions: Facilitate antigen transport, uptake, and presentation by antigen-capturing and processing cells; repeated or prolonged release of antigen.

Passive Immunotherapy with Monoclonal Antibodies

Mechanism: Transfer of autologous T cells or monoclonal antibodies
Application: Limited number of tumors rely on injection of these antibodies to target cancer cells for destruction or inhibition of growth.
Types of monoclonal antibodies: used in many cancers against various tumor antigens.

Passive Immunotherapy with Monoclonal Antibodies (specific immune globulin)

Source: Prepared from convalescent patients with elevated antibody levels against specific diseases.
Types of infections: Used for treatment of pertussis, tetanus, chickenpox, hepatitis B.
Serum available: From horses for diphtheria, botulism, spider and snake bites.
Mechanism of action: Act immediately and are effective where other medications are not.

Antibody Functions

Neutralization: To reduce pathogen load or inhibit bacterial toxins.
Complement-mediated lysis: To inhibit pathogen penetration of host cells and for complement binding for pathogen destruction.

Sources of Passive Immunity

Blood or blood products: Almost all blood or blood products.
Homologous pooled human antibody: (immune globulin)
Homologous human hyperimmune serum:
Heterologous hyperimmune serum: (antitoxin)

Classification of Serum Preparations

Homogeneous serum: Obtained from blood donors who have been immunized.
Heterogeneous serum: Obtained from the blood of animals who have been hyperimmunized.

mAb Attacking Cancer Cells

Targeting cancer cells: Using monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) specific to tumor markers to induce apoptosis, activate complement (C'), and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC).
Other strategies: Combining mAbs with toxins or radioisotopes.

Active Immunotherapy (Examples)

Cytokine therapy: Direct administration of IL-2, or insertion of cytokine genes.
Vaccine therapy: Using vaccines to activate immune responses.
Cell therapy: Utilizing specific CTLs, TILs, or DCs to attack cancer cells.

DC Treatment

Apheresis: Collection of immune cells.
Monocytes: Conversion into dendritic cells (DCs).
DCs activation: Of CTLs with tumor antigens.
Injection of DCs: into the patient to trigger an immune response.

Immune Checkpoint Blockade

Mechanism: Blocking proteins that inhibit T-cell activity to enhance anti-tumor immunity.
Effectiveness: Superior to previous methods but has limitations; not all patients respond.
Targeting mechanisms: Blocking the CTLA-4 or PD-1 pathways.

Vaccines

Function as antigenic stimuli causing protective immunity without the disease.

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Description

Explore the concepts of immunotherapy, including its definitions, classifications, and specific strategies for cancer treatment. This quiz delves into the mechanisms of active and passive immunotherapy, as well as the different types of activation and suppression therapies. Test your knowledge of this vital area in modern medicine.