Figure 2.

Tumor immunoediting. Normal cells are transformed into malignant cells by mutations, genomic instability, and epigenetic modification, during which innate and adaptive immunity regulate the tumor microenvironment. In the elimination phase, both innate and adaptive immunity synergistically detect and eliminate early tumor cells. Next, rare tumor cells that are not eliminated in the elimination phase can enter the equilibrium phase, where their outgrowth and elimination are controlled. Finally, the remaining tumor cell variants with weak immunogenicity escape from immune surveillance to form a clinically apparent neoplasm.