DEFINITION
Tumor antigen
Antigens are foreign substances that are known and are the targets to be destroyed by the immune system. Antigen found on the surface of all cells, but under normal circumstances, a person's immune system does not react to the cell itself.
If a cell becomes malignant, the new antigen (which is not recognized by the immune system) appears in the cell surface. The immune system may recognize new antigens, called tumor antigens, as foreign and can transport or destroy cancer cells. But well-functioning immune system was not always able to destroy all cancer cells.
Antigens are foreign substances that are known and are the targets to be destroyed by the immune system. Antigen found on the surface of all cells, but under normal circumstances, a person's immune system does not react to the cell itself.
If a cell becomes malignant, the new antigen (which is not recognized by the immune system) appears in the cell surface. The immune system may recognize new antigens, called tumor antigens, as foreign and can transport or destroy cancer cells. But well-functioning immune system was not always able to destroy all cancer cells.
