With immunotherapy, we want to trigger the cancer-immunity cycle – without harming healthy cells. Genentech’s personalized cancer immunotherapy R&D program includes more than 20 candidates, targeting four steps of this cycle.

In Step 1, mutations in cancer cells cause the release of substances called “antigens” that show that cancer cells are different from normal cells. This allows the immune system to recognize them.

In Step 2, immune cells that specialize in finding antigens capture the released antigens and take them to T cells, located in the lymph nodes. Immunotherapy can boost immunity at this step and others.

In Step 3, T cells become ‘primed’ or ‘activated’ by these foreign antigens, which begins the immune response against cancer cells.

In Step 4, activated T cells travel through blood vessels towards the location of the tumor.

In Step 5, T cells reach the cancer cells and “infiltrate” the tumor in order to attack it.

In Step 6, T cells are able to recognize foreign cancer cells based on the antigens they released earlier.

In Step 7, T cells destroy cancer cells by activating a series of steps that lead to cell death. This is where immunotherapy can affect PDL1 or PD1, enhancing immunity.

Killing cancer cells releases more antigens, and the cancer-immunity cycle starts all over again.