This Study Week was the realization of a wish of His Holiness Pope Paul VI, who expressed the desire to see the Pontifical Academy of Sciences deal with the all-engaging subject of cancer research. After due consideration, reflection and consultation with fellow Academicians and various specialists, I decided to focus the attention of the Study Week on the role that immunogenic factors may play in the evolution of malignant processes.
Is the lack of an adequate immune response one of the causative reasons for cancer? Few would agree with this statement, but – on the other hand – few would disagree with the statement that there is definitely an immunological component in the development of cancer. I hope that at the end of this Study Week we shall have a clearer picture concerning this question.