Cancer and Autoimmune Diseases: A Tale of Two Immunological Opposites?

Abstract

The present article compares, side-by-side, cancer and autoimmune diseases in terms of innate and adaptive immune cells involvement, MHC Class I and Class II expression, TGFβ effect, immune modulating drugs effect and the effect of reactive oxygen species. The change in the inflammatory immune reaction during the progress of cancer and the effect of this change on the comorbidity of autoimmune diseases and cancer are discussed. The similar inflammatory properties of autoimmune diseases and early cancer, and the contrasting inflammatory properties of autoimmune diseases and advanced cancer elucidate the increased incidence of many types of cancer in patients with pre-existing autoimmune diseases and the decreased cancer-specific mortality of these patients. Stage-dependent effects of reactive oxygen-species on tumor proliferation are an additional probable cause for these epidemiological observations. The relationship: {standardized incidence ratio (SIR)} > {cancer-specific hazard ratio (HR)} for cancer patients with a history of autoimmune diseases is substantiated and rationalized.

The Contrasting Seasonality Patterns of Some Cancer-Types and Herpes Zoster Can Be Explained by a Binary Classification of Immunological Reactions

“… 15 Even though other causes cannot be excluded, seasonal variations in UV radiation probably contribute to the observed seasonal changes in cancer incidence and to the effect of the period of diagnosis on cancer prognosis. This hypothesis is supported by the following evidence: (a) UV radiation induces the production of VitD by skin keratinocytes; 13 (b) in the Nordic countries serum VitD status exhibits a strong seasonal variation that parallels the seasonal change in UVB radiation that reaches the earth; 13 (c) vitamin D can promote the development and function of Tregs; 17 (d) Treg blood levels are significantly higher in summer compared to winter in temperate climate regions; 68 (e) Tregs suppress early cancer; 69 (f) low VitD levels are associated with increased cancer incidence and mortality 70 (g) vitamin D intake reduces cancer risk; 71 (h) colorectal cancer and prostate cancer seasonal variation in the US depend on the latitude; 9 (i) UV radiation may induce immunosuppression by VitD-independent pathways. 11 …”

The Role of Intravesicular Proteins and the Protein Corona of Extracellular Vesicles in the Development of Drug-Induced Polyneuropathy

“…A high prevalence of autoimmune diseases was found in some types of cancer (lung cancer, multiple myeloma, NHL and Hodgkin’s lymphoma), and according to different authors, it ranges from 5 to 12%, it increases significantly with age, a history of polychemotherapy, radiation therapy, and targeted therapy [ 59 , 60 ]. In cancer patients, among a variety of neurological immune-mediated adverse events that occur against the background of the use of checkpoint inhibitors, autoimmune encephalitis, aseptic meningitis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, myasthenia gravis and myositis are of particular importance.…”

Immunotherapy: A new target for cancer cure (Review)

“…The complement response produces cytolysis, which demonstrates the key anti-tumor role of the innate immune system (169). Although studies have detected loss of blood group antigen expression in primary breast tumors and their metastases, loss of blood group antigen expression may be considered a marker of invasion and half of proximal colon tumors show loss of antigen expression (170)(171)(172). However, this does not simply activate the immune system by allowing the tumor to express blood group antigens.…”