Burnet developed the immunosurveillance concept in 1971. Malignant cells obviously escape immune surveillance, which suggests that they possess the ability of evading any potentially lethal effector mechanisms operated by the immune system.

• 1971年Burnet首先提出免疫监视学说，认为免疫系统起了监视机体识别和破坏免疫性肿瘤细胞的作用。