Immunotherapy: Stimulating the Immune System to Prevent or Treat Cancer

Researchers in Mayo Clinic Cancer Center's Immunology and Immunotherapy Program are developing and testing new and innovative immunotherapeutic approaches. Twenty-three scientists and physicians from more than a dozen different departments interact to develop and test new immunotherapy treatments in Mayo Clinic research laboratories. Our investigators are focused on identifying substances that stimulate the immune system to provide effective, non-toxic therapies that target specific tumors.

In basic research, scientists are investigating why one person has an immune system that readily identifies and destroys tumor cells, while someone else gets sick because their immune system fails to recognize tumor cells as invaders. Scientists are revealing the complex mechanisms that regulate the activation of the immune system to destroy tumor cells. By investigating both positive and negative interactions of immune system cells, Mayo's researchers are increasing their understanding of why some individuals have systems that fail to recognize tumor cells as foreign. Such studies will lead to new approaches that can prevent cancer development.

The immune system is complex. It contains different types of cells that interact when the presence of tumor cells stimulates an immune response. Some cells kill tumor cells directly, while others help activate the killer cells. Our focus is on developing innovative ways to stimulate the various components of an immune response. The goal is to devise novel treatments that stimulate the immune system to kill tumor cells in cancer patients. Some of the current research projects in Mayo Clinic laboratories are described in our "Ongoing Research" section.