From cell regulation to patient survival: 2nd Cancer immunotherapy and immunomonitoring (CITIM) meeting, Budapest, 2–5 May 2011

The 2nd International Conference “Cancer Immunotherapy and Immunomonitoring (CITIM)” took place in Budapest, Hungary, and was organized by the International (Chair—Michael Shurin) and Local (Chair—Beatrix Kotlan) Organizing Committees. The main aim was to bring the world’s best tumor immunologists to Budapest to discuss the mechanisms of immune regulation in the tumor microenvironment, the efficacy of anticancer immunotherapeutic modalities, the results of clinical trials and the methods of patients’ immunomonitoring. This report provides a short overview of novel concepts, strategies and clinical achievements in this quickly developing field of oncology since the first CITIM meeting held in Kiev, Ukraine, in 2009. Almost 200 participants from more than 30 countries of Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America as well as from Australia were attracted by the scientific program that consisted of presentations from 58 international experts. Good memories remain from the lively discussions of ten plenary sessions, four Keynote lectures, two special plenary presentations, best abstract award session and 75 posters.