The role of IgE in the immune response to neoplasia: a review.

The role of IgE in the immune response to neoplasia has received little attention despite suggestive evidence for an IgE response to tumor specific antigens. A complex interrelationship is known to exist between basophils, eosinophils, histamine, complement, and T cells. The latter cells are known to play a central role in the immune response to neoplasia and, in addition, are now considered important in the production and regulation of IgE, the molecule that may supply an important link between pharmacological and cellular dynamics of a successful anti-tumor response. The evidence for an IgE role in the immune response to tumors, the relationship between atopy and cancer, and the possible mechanisms whereby IgE could enhance tumor rejection are discussed in this review.