Smoking-induced immune deviation contributes to progression of bladder and other cancers

Abstract

We propose here that cigarette smoke (CS), in addition to its established genotoxic effects, elicits chronic albeit sub-clinical immune suppression, which is a major contributor to cancer progression. This hypothesis, presented here primarily in the context of bladder cancers (BCs), is applicable to other cancers, including those without a confirmed link to smoking.

Keywords:

• CD8⁺ T cells
• immune surveillance
• immune suppression
• tumor infiltrating lymphocytes