Cancer immunosurveillance is a process that results from activity of recognition and destruction of
cancer cells by innate and adaptive immune effector cells and molecules.
Cancer cells can avoid immunosurveillance through the immunoselection, that is the development of poorly immunogenic
tumor-cell variants, and through subversion of the immune system (also known as immunosubversion). Identification of
tumor antigens (Ags) that can be recognized by immune effector cells has opened the perspective of developing therapeutic
vaccines in the field of
breast cancer.
Breast cancer vaccines can induce immunogenic response against
tumors weakly immunogenic; usually have a good tolerance and safety profile and can induce a long-term immune memory, critical to prevent efficiently
tumor recurrence. Several studies evaluating
breast cancer vaccines have been performed in patients with extended metastatic
breast cancer, usually refractory to other standard treatments so that clinical efficacy was difficult to achieve. Significant immune responses against
tumor Ags induced upon vaccinations were described to several
tumor Ag
vaccines. A better understanding of the relation between innate and adaptive immune responses, of the immune escape mechanisms employed by
tumor cells and acknowledgment of the importance of both cell-mediated and humoral adaptive immunity for the control of
tumor growth are necessary for leading to a more comprehensive immunotherapeutic approach in
breast cancer.