The flip side of tumor immunity

R. T. Prehn and L. M. Prehn
Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.

A large amount of data suggest that tumors are, to some degree, dependent for their growth on a positive level of immune reaction, a level that is unique for each tumor. Each tumor gradually adjusts its immunogenicity to the level that will, in the immunologic context of its own particular host, maximize its growth. Thus, it follows that immunosuppression may be as likely as immunoaugmentation to have a therapeutic effect.