Cancer encompasses a collection of diseases characterized by abnormal cell growth with the potential for invasion or metastasis, unlike benign tumors which remain localized. Symptoms may include lumps, abnormal bleeding, persistent cough, unexplained weight loss, and altered bowel movements, though these signs can also stem from other conditions. Humans are affected by over 100 distinct types of cancer.
Over the past 15 years, antibody-based cancer therapy has become a highly essential and successful approach for treating patients with both hematological malignancies and solid tumors.
A form of cancer immunotherapy, known as targeted antibodies, hinders the activity of cancer cells and prompts the immune system to eradicate them. Antibodies, naturally generated by B cells, defend against threats like bacteria, viruses, and cancer by binding to antigens on cell surfaces. Scientists at Amerigo Scientific boost our immune response through the development and customization of antibodies, frequently monoclonal, targeting precise cancer markers in laboratory settings. Products of targeted antibodies encompass antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), monoclonal antibodies, and bispecific antibodies, among others.
While most targeted antibodies are considered "passive" immunotherapies, directly targeting tumor cells, recent innovations have led to "active" immunotherapies that also target immune cells. Clinical investigations are underway to assess the efficacy of these targeted antibodies across diverse cancer types, administered either individually or in synergy with alternative therapies.
Fig.1 Therapeutic targets and tumoral antigens in cancer immunotherapy.1, 2
Antibodies possess diverse immunomodulatory properties, directly activating or inhibiting immune system molecules, thereby promoting antitumor immune responses. These properties can serve as the foundation for novel cancer treatment strategies.
A cancer biomarker denotes a substance or mechanism indicating the presence of cancer within the body, potentially comprising a molecule released by a tumor or a distinctive physiological reaction to the cancer's existence.
The tumor microenvironment is a complex system that includes cancer cells, stromal tissue (comprising immune cells, signaling molecules, fibroblasts, and blood vessels), and the extracellular matrix.
Tumor suppressors are molecules encoded by tumor suppressor genes (TSGs), or anti-oncogenes, which regulate cellular processes during division and replication, and their malfunction can lead to uncontrolled cell growth and cancer.
An oncogene is a gene capable of causing cancer, often found mutated or overexpressed in tumor cells, and its protein products exert pleiotropic effects on numerous intricate cellular regulatory pathways.
Tumor initiation and progression necessitate the metabolic reprogramming of cancer cells, which autonomously adjust their metabolic pathway fluxes to satisfy heightened bioenergetic and biosynthetic demands while mitigating oxidative stress to support proliferation and survival.
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