CCR 20th Anniversary Commentary: From Regulatory T Cells to Checkpoint Monoclonal Antibodies--Immuno-oncology Advances Clinical Cancer Research.

Immune escape is a hallmark of cancer development and metastasis. Regulatory T cells (Treg) are potent inhibitors of cancer immune surveillance but also prevent inflammation-driven tumorigenesis. The study by Wolf and colleagues, which was published in the February 2003 issue of Clinical Cancer Research, showed the expansion of Treg in solid cancer patients, providing a deeper understanding of cancer immune escape mechanisms that later set the stage for the development of scientific breakthroughs in cancer immunotherapy.