James Gallagher: Immune discovery 'may treat all cancer'
The Cardiff University
team discovered a method of killing prostate, breast, lung and other cancers in
lab tests. The findings, published in Nature Immunology,
have not been tested in patients, but the researchers say they have
"enormous potential"
Experts said that
although the work was still at an early stage, it was very exciting. Our immune system is
our body's natural defence against infection, but it also attacks cancerous
cells. The scientists were
looking for "unconventional" and previously undiscovered ways the
immune system naturally attacks tumours. What they found was a
T-cell inside people's blood. This is an immune cell that can scan the body to
assess whether there is a threat that needs to be eliminated. The difference is this
one could attack a wide range of cancers.
"There's a chance
here to treat every patient," researcher Prof Andrew Sewell told the BBC.
He added:
"Previously nobody believed this could be possible. "It raises the
prospect of a 'one-size-fits-all' cancer treatment, a single type of T-cell
that could be capable of destroying many different types of cancers across the
population."....
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-51182451