Cancer/testis antigens and urological malignancies

Prakash Kulkarni, Takumi Shiraishi, Krithika Rajagopalan, Robert Kim, Steven M. Mooney, Robert H. Getzenberg

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

34 Scopus citations

Abstract

Cancer/testis antigens (CTAs) are a group of tumour-associated antigens (TAAs) that display normal expression in the adult testisĝ€"an immune-privileged organĝ€"but aberrant expression in several types of cancers, particularly in advanced cancers with stem cell-like characteristics. There has been an explosion in CTA-based research since CTAs were first identified in 1991 and MAGE-1 was shown to elicit an autologous cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) response in a patient with melanoma. The resulting data have not only highlighted a role for CTAs in tumorigenesis, but have also underscored the translational potential of these antigens for detecting and treating many types of cancers. Studies that have investigated the use of CTAs for the clinical management of urological malignancies indicate that these TAAs have potential roles as novel biomarkers, with increased specificity and sensitivity compared to those currently used in the clinic, and therapeutic targets for cancer immunotherapy. Increasing evidence supports the utilization of these promising tools for urological indications.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)386-396
Number of pages11
JournalNature Reviews Urology
Volume9
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2012
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Urology

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