Coley's toxins, tumor necrosis factor and cancer research: A historical perspective

As far back of the 1700s, it was recorded that certain infectious disease processes could be exert beneficial therapeutic effect upon malignancy. Most prominent among the numerous deliberate efforts made to take advantage of these observations was that of a pioneering New York surgeon, William B. Coley, active career 1891–1936. Using a bacterial vaccine to treat primarily inoperable sarcoma, Coley accomplished a cure rate of better than 10%. This review examines the history of these efforts and presents a discussion of their corresponding relevance to present day immunotherapy.