Immunotherapy and immunoprevention of cancer: where do we stand?

Although evolution has shaped the immune system to control microbial invasions, this does not necessarily mean that the immune system can not be triggered to eliminate tumour cells. The exploitation of the terrific potential of the immune system to recognise cell alterations and to selectively destroy large populations of neoplastic cells is a possibility made even more attractive by the advances in our understanding of the immune mechanisms and our ability to manipulate them. This review summarises the state of the different immunotherapy strategies available or in development today, and examines the future developments that hold out the promise of an effective control of cancer growth.