Systemic immune response and cancer risk: Filling the missing piece of immuno-oncology

Abstract

While immuno-oncology has made significant advances in activating local tumor immune responses, leading to improved outcomes, the role of systemic immunity in cancer incidence remains poorly understood. Le Cornet and colleagues prospectively studied circulating immune cells quantified by DNA methylation markers in relation to incidence of breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancer among initially healthy individuals. A positive association with cancer risk was observed for higher FOXP3þ T-cell–mediated immune tolerance and lower CD8þ T-cell–mediated cytotoxicity. Further studies of systemic immunity in cancer development are crucial to identify novel prediction markers and interventional targets for cancer immunoprevention.