Counterpoint. Cancer vaccines: single-epitope anti-idiotype vaccine versusmultiple-epitope antigen vaccine

Anti-idiotypt (Id) vaccine therapy has been tested and shown to be effectiv e, in several animal models, for triggering the immune system to induce spe cific and protective immunity against bacterial, viral and parasitic infect ions. The administration of anti-Id antibodies as surrogate tumor-associate d antigens (TAA) also represents another potential application of the conce pt of the Id network. Limited experience in human trials using anti-Id to s timulate immunity against tumors has shown promising results. In this "coun ter-point" article, we discuss our own findings showing the potential of an ti-id antibody vaccines to be novel therapeutic approaches to various human cancers and also discuss where anti-Id vaccines may perform batter than tr aditional multiple-epitope antigen vaccines.