Cancer cells play hide-and-seek with immune system
- Date:
- June 29, 2016
- Source:
- Leiden, Universiteit
- Summary:
- When the immune system attacks cancer, the tumor modifies itself to escape the immune reaction, report scientists in a new report.
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When the immune system attacks cancer, the tumor modifies itself to escape the immune reaction. Researchers at LUMC published on this subject in Nature on 28 June.
The researchers discovered that as a result of the immune reaction new tumor cells are formed that have far fewer or even none of the DNA modifications that the immune system can recognise. This is how the tumor tries to escape the immune reaction. However, the immune system can learn to recognise new DNA modifications.
Other treatment methods
By treating cancer patients with a different form of immunotherapy, it should be possible to switch off the modified tumor cells as well, the researchers conclude. Immunotherapy is a cancer treatment whereby the patient's own immune system is activated to trace and destroy cancer cells.
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Materials provided by Leiden, Universiteit. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
- Els M. E. Verdegaal, Noel F.C.C. de Miranda, Marten Visser, Tom Harryvan, Marit M. van Buuren, Rikke S. Andersen, Sine R. Hadrup, Caroline E. van der Minne, Remko Schotte, Hergen Spits, John B. A. G. Haanen, Ellen H. W. Kapiteijn, Ton N. Schumacher, Sjoerd H. van der Burg. Neoantigen landscape dynamics during human melanoma–T cell interactions. Nature, 2016; DOI: 10.1038/nature18945
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