Evidence map›Paper›PMID 23868500›Full record

ReviewInflammation research : official journal of the European Histamine Research Society ... [et al.]2013

Immune system: a double-edged sword in cancer.

Bodduluru Lakshmi Narendra, Kasala Eshvendar Reddy, Saladi Shantikumar, Sistla Ramakrishna

Abstract readReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Inflammation research : official journal of the European Histamine Research Society ... [et al.], 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 109 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
109citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

109 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. BMJ open · 2026
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  14. Comprehensive Single-Cell RNA Atlas of Human Laryngeal Normal, Preneoplastic, and Tumorigenic States.Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research · 2025
    Article
  15. Review
  16. Review
  17. Review
  18. Decoding the mechanisms behind second primary cancers.Journal of translational medicine · 2025
    Review
  19. Review
  20. Review

49 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Bodduluru Lakshmi NarendraDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Balanagar, 500037 Hyderabad, India.
Kasala Eshvendar Reddy
Saladi Shantikumar
Sistla Ramakrishna

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThe objective of the review is to examine the role of innate and adaptive immune cells in cancer.

introductionImmune system functions as a host defensive mechanism protecting against invading pathogens and transformed cells, including cancer. However, a body of research carried out over the last few decades has disclosed the unexpected role of immune system in fostering the tumor growth.

methodsA computer-based online search was performed in the PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases for articles published, concerning natural killer (NK) cells, Macrophages, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells with relevance to cancer. After finding relevant articles within these search limits, a manual search was conducted through the references from these articles. RESULTS AND

conclusionsThis review summarizes the role of immune system in Immunosurveillance and Immunoediting. It then focused mainly on role of macrophages, regulatory T cells (Treg), TH17 cells and on the immunosuppressive mechanisms, which facilitate immune evasion of tumor cells. Our results shows that, immune cells, such as CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), CD4+ T helper (TH)1 cells and NK cells along with their characteristic cytokine interferon (IFN)-γ, function as major antitumor effector cells. Whereas CD4+TH2 cells, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and their derived cytokines function as dominant tumor-promoting forces. In contrast to these cells, macrophages, Treg, and TH17 cells show a dual effect in cancer. Thus, it appears that most components of the immune system are potentially endowed with dual functions i.e., promoting tumor development on the one hand and restraining tumor development on the other and hence immune system can be considered as a double-edged sword in cancer.

Indexed as

Adaptive ImmunityCytokinesHumansImmunity, InnateImmunosuppression TherapyMacrophagesNeoplasmsTh17 CellsT-Lymphocytes, RegulatoryCytokines

Identifiers

PMID23868500

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.