Journal of the European Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy

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A view on dendritic cell immunotherapy in ovarian cancer: how far have we come?

A. Coosemans1,2,*, T. Baert1,2, I. Vergote1,2

1Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
2UZ Leuven, Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.

Correspondence at: An Coosemans, KU Leuven, Laboratory of Gynaecologic Oncology, Herestraat 49, CDG, box 811, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. E-mail: An.coosemans@gmail.com

*An Coosemans is supported by the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO)

Keywords:

Ovarian cancer, immunotherapy, DC, dendritic cell, targeted therapy, cancer


Published online: Mar 31 2015

Abstract

Ovarian cancer is the second most important pelvic gynaecologic malignancy and nowadays still kills 80% of patients. New treatment options are mandatory. Although it has been shown that ovarian cancer is an immunogenic tumor, the possibility of developing immunotherapy has been neglected for a long time. This article focuses on the importance of the immune system in the development and progression of cancer and the possibilities and problems of dendritic cell-based immunotherapy to influence the immune system.