Cancer Defenses in Humans and the Search for a Vaccine

Modern treatment of cancer heavily relies on methods such as surgery and chemotherapy; however, in the last few decades, research into the field of immunology has given rise to vaccines with a focus on utilizing immune responses. In this paper, various innate human defenses against cancer will be discussed, starting with the extracellular level with a focus on cytotoxic T cells and B cells as well as density and anchorage dependence. Then intracellular defenses will be discussed, with a focus on gene transcription limitation by p53, the function of PTEN as a negative regulator, and the ERK pathway. Finally, we will explore current attempts in vaccine research, focusing on potential breakthroughs such as immunotherapy, CAR T cells, and cytokines but also obstacles holding back development such as delivery, immunosuppression, and adaptation.