Present and future outlook for dendritic cell (DC)-based vaccine against cancer

We propose that tumors discovered in a clinical setting are already in the world of immune tolerance. In order to induce powerful antitumor immunity, therefore, we will have to develop a new immune surveillance system in the body. We focused on the ongoing noteworthy devices to improve antigen-presenting ability of dendritic cells (DCs) which play a key role in the world of immune surveillance. One approach is to develop strategies capable of prolonging both the activation state and life span of DCs. A second way is to adjust the immunological environment of tumor sites to the immune surveillance world. Finally, we briefly introduce the ongoing trials concerning artificial antigen-presenting systems.