The combination of immunotherapy with hyperthermia for treating cancer has been shown to have significant clinical effects.

The accepted view of the cancer-host immune interface is that tumors possess unique antigens that can be recognized by the immune system.

After antigen uptake at tumor sites, APCs have the ability to create a robust response by entering lymphoid compartments and programming lymphocytes. Following generation and expansion to large numbers, cytotoxic lymphocytes then traffic to tumor sites for targeted cell killing.

To understand how temperature may influence the immune system, it is necessary to define the concept of hyperthermia.