Novel tumor-associated antigen

A "novel tumor-associated antigen" refers to any newly discovered antigen that is expressed on tumor cells, either exclusively or preferentially compared to normal tissues. Tumor-associated antigens include proteins like the MAGE family and PRAME, which are frequently expressed in cancers such as melanoma, lung cancer, and breast cancer, and may be involved in tumor cell proliferation and immune evasion. They are important therapeutic and biomarker candidates in cancer immunology, especially for vaccine and immunotherapy strategies. Tumor-associated antigens differ from "tumor-specific antigens," which arise from mutations unique to cancer and lack expression in healthy tissue. This term is an overly generic category and not a precise molecular target.

Other names

TAAcancer-testis antigen

Drugs and vaccines targeting TAAs generally act via immune activation, leading to T-cell mediated cytotoxicity.