ARTICLE ABSTRACT
This perspective on Beatty et al. (beginning on page 438 in this issue of the journal) discusses the role of the immune system as nature's ultimate chemoprevention agent. A successful immune response to vaccination results in immunologic memory. In the case of a successful cancer-related response, antigen-specific T cells will be poised to destroy an aberrantly expressed protein even if the host is not exposed until years after the end of immunizations. After the abnormal cell is eradicated, T cells will lie in wait for the next exposure. The ability to develop effective cancer vaccines for prevention is fast becoming a reality as immunogenic aberrant proteins that drive malignant transformation are identified. Cancer Prev Res; 3(4); 406–9. ©2010 AACR.
