Cancer immunology is a branch of
immunology that studies interactions between the
immune system and
cancer cells (also called
tumors or
malignancies). It is a growing field of research that aims to discover innovative cancer
immunotherapies to treat and retard progression of the disease. The immune response, including the recognition of cancer-specific
antigens, is of particular interest in the field as knowledge gained drives the development of
targeted therapy (such as new
vaccines and
antibody therapies) and
tumor marker-based
diagnostic tests. For instance in 2007, Ohtani published a paper finding tumour infiltrating lymphocytes to be quite significant in human colorectal cancer. The host was given a better chance at survival if the cancer tissue showed infiltration of inflammatory cells, in particular those prompting lymphocytic reactions. The results yielded suggest some extent of anti-tumour immunity is present in colorectal cancers in humans.