Cancer immunotherapy: present scenarios and the future of immunotherapy

Abstract

One of the major emerging modes of treatment for cancer patients in the current healthcare systems has been immunotherapy. Various approaches of immunotherapy have been proved to be useful against tumor progression in laboratory settings. Few have also been showing promising results in clinical trials. However, many clinical trials have also pointed out the adverse side effects of immunotherapy on tumor patients. In this context, we discuss about the success and failures of the present modes of immunotherapy available to patients and also about the emerging target points that are coming up and may be crucial in the success of future immunotherapy. The upcoming researches involving new players in the immunotherapy arena like Breg and Treg and how combinatorial therapies will be needed to counter the side effects that are exhibited by the present techniques of immunotherapy have been discussed in the review. This review will provide a broad picture of the current scenario of cutting edge immunotherapy and the newer methods that can be utilized to prevent the failures and ensure success in future clinical trials involving immunotherapy.