immune surveillance


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im·mune sur·veil·lance

a theory that the immune system recognizes and destroys tumor cells that are constantly arising during the life of the individual.
Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

im·mune sur·veil·lance

(i-myūn' sŭr-vā'lăns)
A theory that the immune system destroys tumor cells, which are constantly arising during the life of the individual.
Synonym(s): immunologic surveillance.
Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing © Farlex 2012

immune surveillance

A body mechanism by which early cancers are detected as being foreign and are attacked and usually destroyed. Immune surveillance is a T cell-mediated process without which cancer would be much commoner. See also CTLA4-IG.
Collins Dictionary of Medicine © Robert M. Youngson 2004, 2005
References in periodicals archive ?
It hampers immune surveillance by blocking (i) antigen presentation by DC through the reduction of MHC II, adhesion, and costimulatory molecules, (ii) the synthesis of cytokines of the Th1 profile and (iii) the activities of monocytes and NK cells.
Nutrients that enhance immune surveillance may stimulate growth and proliferation of tumor-detecting lymphocytes, promote a vigorous attack on tumor cells by so-called "natural killer cells," and/or stimulate antibody production, which aids in immobilization and destruction of malignant cells.
Reinherz, "CD2 molecules redistribute to the uropod during T cell scanning: implications for cellular activation and immune surveillance," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol.
Iron also modulates immune effector mechanisms, such as cytokine activities like interferon gamma (IFN-[gamma]) effector pathways towards macrophages, nitric oxide (NO) formation or immune cell proliferation, and thus host immune surveillance.
Researchers in various medical disciplines report on what has been learned from the study of HIV infection about the complex relationship between immune surveillance, immune deficiency, viral infection, and human cancer and how that knowledge is being applied to other conditions.
NK cells normally play a central role in immune surveillance against the metastatic spread of cancer.
d) Increase immune surveillance with protein, vitamins, minerals, EFAs, carotenoids, flavonoids, garlic, shiitake, probiotics, herbs.
Due to the severe clinical manifestations found in XLP patients, intense efforts had recently focused on elucidating the signaling mechanism used by SAP to regulate in cells involved in immune surveillance against cancers.
Topical immunosuppressants may trigger malignancies by "breaking local immune surveillance resulting in skin cancers.
"We speculate that the well-known phenomenon of UV-mediated suppression of immune surveillance can be causally related to this unusual increase in active HPV infection.
Regular release of prostatic fluid may also enhance immune surveillance of tumor cells.