Cancer immunotherapy and immunomonitoring (CITIM): redefining cancer therapy.

The immune system is a critical element involved in the control of tumor development and progression. While we have learned how to manipulate the immune system to generate tumor-specific immune responses, cancer immunotherapy has not yet delivered substantial clinical benefits. It has become increasingly clear that tumor-induced abnormalities in the immune system not only hamper natural tumor immune surveillance, but also limit the effect of cancer immunotherapy. If the results of recent studies are of any indication, then we are on the verge of a real breakthrough in our understanding of the immunobiology of tumor-host interactions and of ways to manipulate it. This 1(st) International Conference on "Cancer Immunotherapy and Immunomonitoring (CITIM)" was the first meeting in Eastern Europe to specifically focus on the issue of immune regulation in the tumor environment, cancer immunotherapy, and immunomonitoring of immunotherapeutic clinical trials. This CITIM Conference held in Kiev, Ukraine, was comprised from eight plenary sessions and two special selected poster presentation sessions. Selected contributions from the participants of the Conference are presented in this issue of the Journal of Immunotoxicology.