Method of increasing an immune response to a cancer by administering an antibody which inhibits erythropoietin receptor activation

A method of increasing an immune response to a cancer of a patient in need thereof, said method comprising administering to said patient in need thereof a composition comprising an antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof, wherein said antibody or said antigen-binding fragment thereof inhibits erythropoietin receptor activation, and wherein said antibody or said antigen-binding fragment thereof competes with and/or binds to the same epitope as a reference antibody, wherein said reference antibody comprises:

• (i) a heavy chain variable region (VH) comprising the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 1876 and a light chain variable region (VL) comprising the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 1957;
• (ii) a VH comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 1609 and a VL comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 1745;
• (iii) a VH comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 1670 and a VL comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 1806;
• (iv) a VH comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 515 and a VL comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 703;
• (v) a VH comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 1687 and a VL comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 1823;
• or
• (vi) a VH comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 1692 and a VL comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 1828.