The War on Cancer

Cancers arise because the normal repair process of the body breaks down: they are a form of internal evolution gone wrong, and in the process they learn to creep under the radar of our normal immune defences. Now for the first time we have found ways to awaken the immune response to cancer: something that can whip off the cloak of invisibility that cancers use to avoid detection. For years we have treated cancer in ways that do not depend upon the body's natural defences. All this is changing.

The human immune system is a defence network that is highly organised, flexible and powerful. It plays a part to prevent the rise of a cancer but can also switch from keeping us safe from unwanted invaders to aiding and abetting the enemy. To add insult to injury, cancers can also arise from the immune system. We will explore how cancer scientists and doctors are learning ways to return the immune system to loyal service in order to turn the war on cancer in our favour.

The University is leading the UK in cancer immunology research, launching a £25m fundraising campaign to establish the UK’s first dedicated Centre for Cancer Immunology at Southampton. Ground-breaking research is enabling the body’s immune system to recognise and eradicate cancer, with amazing results in clinical trials. The state-of-the-art Centre will bring together world-leading cancer specialists in a new global hub, accelerating progress and saving more lives from cancer.