Tumor-associated cell surface antigen

Tumor-associated cell surface antigens are a diverse group of molecules, often proteins or glycoproteins, found at higher levels on the surface of cancer cells compared to most normal tissues. Unlike tumor-specific antigens, many tumor-associated antigens are also present at lower levels on some healthy cells. These antigens can be lineage-differentiation antigens, overexpressed normal proteins, or cancer-testis antigens. They are used in cancer diagnostics, prognostics, and as therapeutic targets for immunotherapies and monoclonal antibody treatments. However, due to their expression in some normal tissues, targeting these antigens can pose risks of autoimmunity or damage to healthy cells[1][2][3][6][7]. This entry is a category/class, not a narrowly defined molecule or protein. For structured data, a unique tumor-associated antigen (e.g., "Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM)", "Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)") should be specified for a canonical form.

Other names

Tumor-associated antigen (TAA)TAAcancer antigen (context-dependent)oncoantigen

Immune-mediated cytotoxicity (e.g., antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, ADCC); Antibody-mediated targeting of tumor cells; Vaccine-induced T cell activation; Inhibition of signaling pathways (for specific TAAs involved in growth signaling, e.g., HER2, EGFR)