The functional interplay between cancer cells and immune cells is extremely complex. Immune cells initially inhibit tumor growth; however, tumor cells often suppress not only the tumor-inhibitory function of immune cells, but they can also hijack immune cells to promote tumor growth. In recent years, therapeutics aiming to restore the tumor suppression function of the immune system have shown impressive clinical results, but not all cancer patients benefit from these. This is an exciting time for the field of cancer immunology: basic science is having an important translational impact and immunotherapy is emerging as a major cancer therapeutic modality. However, there is a great deal to be learned about the interplay between cancer, inflammation, and immunity.

Cell Press is pleased to announce the second iteration of this symposium, thus providing a platform in which to share key advances and promote scientific collaboration. We will assemble leading experts to discuss basic immunology, cancer-immune cell interactions, and how tumor-associated inflammation can be reprogrammed for therapeutic benefit and to examine new approaches to cancer immunotherapy. Thus, we invite academic and industry scientists as well as clinicians to explore the key outstanding questions of tomorrow.

Themes:

Inflammation and tumorigenesis
The immune system and the tumor microenvironment
Tumor immunosurveillance and defense
Modulating inflammatory responses to cancer
Cancer Immunotherapy