Researchers from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Australia have revealed the role of a specialized type of immune cell in recognizing and attacking small cell lung cancer cells, in results that may contribute to developing new therapeutic approaches for this disease, which is characterized by its rapid progression and treatment difficulty.
For his part, the scientific website "Science Daily" reported on Thursday that the study, published in the journal "Cancer Cell", focused on immune cells known as "gamma delta T" cells, and showed that higher numbers of them within tumors are associated with better treatment outcomes and longer survival for patients, according to researchers' analyses.
The researchers clarified that small cell lung cancer is characterized by its ability to evade immune surveillance mechanisms, which limits the effectiveness of some immunotherapies. Therefore, they studied the ability of "gamma delta T" cells to recognize and attack tumors. The team used tumor models grown in the laboratory from tissue samples donated by patients, and tested their response to "gamma delta T" cells taken from the patients' own blood. The experiments showed that these cells were able to recognize cancer cells and destroy them.
The researchers also tested the effect of the drugs "tarlatamab" and "zoledronate" in enhancing the immune response; zoledronate helped increase the activity of the targeted cells, while tarlatamab helped direct them toward cancer cells. Laboratory experiments showed that using the two drugs together enhanced the ability of immune cells to attack the tumor. The study also included an analysis of data from two clinical trials, "IMpower133" and "CASPIAN", along with genetic analysis and bioinformatics techniques. The results indicated that elevated genetic markers associated with "gamma delta T" cells were linked to better outcomes in some patients who received immunotherapy.
Small cell lung cancer is a type of lung cancer characterized by the rapid growth of cancer cells and their ability to spread to other parts of the body. It is named so because the cancer cells appear small when examined under a microscope, and it poses a therapeutic challenge due to its rapid progression and ability to evade the immune system's response.
The researchers noted that these results may pave the way for additional research to develop treatments based on enhancing the activity of these immune cells or multiplying them outside the body before returning them to the patient. The team, in collaboration with researchers from the Australian Doherty Institute, continues to study this mechanism to evaluate the potential of translating laboratory results into future treatment options.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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