Figure 1.
Immunoediting during tumor evolution. All clinically apparent early breast cancers are already partially edited or not immunogenic enough since the elimination phase (A) has failed. Tumors in the equilibrium phase (B) are likely represented in the high immune infiltration group. Recurrences in this group are at least in part due to subsequent immune escape. Tumors with low immune infiltration may include cancers with intrinsicly low immunogenicity and cancers that have effectively escaped from immune surveillance (C, D). Abbreviations: DC, dendritic cells; MDSC, myeloid-derived suppressor cells; TAM1, tumor-associated macrophages M1 or classically activated; TAM2, tumor-associated macrophages M2 or alternatively activated.