MHC Class-I Loss and Cancer Immune Escape

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This book explores the escape strategies employed by cancer cells to evade the host's immune response, focusing on "Antigen Presenting Molecules" and "T Lymphocytes." The Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC), including H-2 and HLA molecules, plays a crucial role, as T lymphocytes are white blood cells that differentiate between "self and non-self." Readers will gain insight into the HLA genetic system and learn how T lymphocytes identify and eliminate cancer cells. A central question addressed is why tumors arise, develop, and metastasize, with a particular emphasis on how cancer cells become invisible to killer T lymphocytes. The loss of HLA molecules significantly contributes to this tumor escape mechanism. While cancer immunotherapy aims to activate T lymphocytes to target tumor cells, the clinical response rate often falls short of expectations. The book discusses the molecular mechanisms behind MHC/HLA antigen loss and its impact on resistance to immunotherapy across various tumors, including lung, prostate, bladder, breast, melanoma, and lymphoma. This work is valuable for oncologists, pathologists, and immunologists entering this research area, as well as biologists, doctoral students, and medical residents interested in tumor immunology.