This animation created by Nature Reviews Cancer and Nature Reviews Immunology illustrates how tumour cells are sensed and destroyed by cells of the immune system and how tumours can evolve to evade immune-mediated elimination. Scientists are developing new immunotherapies that help the immune system to ‘fight back’ — the animation explains how these exciting new drugs work.

Nature has full responsibility for all editorial content, including Nature Video content. This content is editorially independent of sponsors.

See also: Nature Reviews Drug Discovery collection on Cancer immunotherapy: http://www.nature.com/nrd/collections...

Further reading: Focus on Tumour immunology & immunotherapy: http://www.nature.com/reviews/focus/t...

Sign up for the Nature Briefing: An essential round-up of science news, opinion and analysis, free in your inbox every weekday. https://go.nature.com/371OcVF