Personal history of infections and immunotherapy: Unexpected links and possible therapeutic opportunities

Abstract

The recent breakthroughs in the understanding of tumor immune biology have given rise to a new generation of immunotherapies, harnessing the immune system to eliminate tumors. As the typology and frequency of encountered infections are susceptible to shape the immune system, it could also impact the efficiency of immunotherapy. In this review, we report evidences for an indirect link between personal history of infection and different strategies of immunotherapy. In the current context of interest rise for personalized medicine, we discuss the potential medical applications of considering personal history of infection to design immunotherapeutic strategies.