Immunotherapy in the battle against cancer: David versus Goliath?

Today’s conventional anti-cancer therapy not only attacks cancer cells, but also damages healthy cells. We would rather attack the tumour in a more sophisticated way, such as David who struck the giant Goliath at exactly the right spot with his sling. Immunotherapy makes it possible to attack tumour cells in a specific way. This research identifies proteins that are specifically presented by tumours. A vaccine was developed that stimulates protein-presenting cells in such a way that they can activate killer cells, which in turn can kill cancer cells. The entire immune system will have to collaborate to strike tumours in their weak spots and to ultimately gain just like David.