Dormant cancer cells may use the immune system to revive themselves, taking advantage of the natural responses that keep them in check, according to British researchers today.
The finding helps explain how immunotherapy can be used to prevent recurrence in some cancer patients.
The findings, reported in Cancer Immunology, involved scientists at the Institute of Cancer Research, London, together with other researchers in Leeds, Surrey and US institutions.
The research, involving laboratory mice, found that TNF-alpha changes from being an anti-tumour agent to supporting cancer relapses.
They also found that surviving cancer cells had high levels of PD-L1 on their surface – and this interacted with PD-1 on T cells to discourage immune system attacks.
Researcher Professor Alan Melcher said: “The immune system goes from keeping cancer cells in check to awakening and feeding residual cells, while turning a blind eye to their growth.
“Excitingly, many of the methods employed by treatment-resistant tumours to re-grow and hide from the immune system can be blocked using existing immunotherapies.
“This idea is, in fact, supported by emerging data from clinical trials, showing that immunotherapies can reduce the risk of cancers coming back.”
Cancer Immunology 16 October 2017
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