Immune surveillance and tumors of the nervous system

Abstract

The theory of immune surveillance postulates that 1 function of the immune system is to eliminate small numbers of malignant cells that arise spontaneously within the organism. Although there was a great deal of clinical and experimental evidence in favor of this theory as it applies to general oncology, the question of whether or not such a surveillance system would be effective for tumors arising withon the nervous system was never studied. The young of pregnant rats which were exposed to the neurocarcinogen ethylnitrosourea (ENU) were divided into control, immunosuppressed and immunoenhanced groups. These lifetime alterations of the immune system had no effect on the course of nervous system tumor formation. The immunological privilege of the brain probably prevents the usual interaction of the neoplasm and the immune system for occurring.