The present invention relates to the discovery that inhibition of the interaction between Dickkopf2 (DKK2) and Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) Receptor Related Protein 5 (LRP5) and/or inhibition of LRP5 suppresses tumor formation. Thus, in various embodiments described herein, the methods of the invention relate to methods of treating cancer by administering to a patient an effective amount of an inhibiting agent that blocks the interaction between DKK2 and LRP5, methods of treating cancer by administering to a patient an effective amount of a LRP5 depleting agent, methods for providing anti-tumor immunity in a subject, and methods of stimulating a NK and T cell mediated immune response to a cell population or a tissue in a subject. Furthermore, the invention encompasses a pharmaceutical composition for treating cancer.
