Scientists develop immune system breakthrough for pancreatic cancer

Scientists have created a new antibody treatment that helps the immune system recognize and attack Pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer cells use a sugar “camouflage” to trick the immune system into ignoring them.

Most current cancer immunotherapies target proteins or genes, but this new treatment focuses on sugars on the cell surface, preventing them from reaching the cells. Immune cells Cancer can be found and attacked, according to researchers from Northwestern University in Chicago.

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“Pancreatic cancer is known for its ability to hide from the immune system, but we were surprised that one sugar, called sialic acid, could trick immune cells so powerfully,” said lead author Mohamed Abdel Mohsen, assistant professor of medicine in the Department of Immunology at UCLA. Infectious diseases at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, told Fox News Digital.

“When tumors coat themselves in sugar with this molecule, they flip the immune ‘off switch’ on some immune cells, essentially signaling ‘I am a normal, healthy cell, not attacking.’”

Study authors Mohamed Abdel Mohsin (top) and Pratima Saini (foreground) are photographed in Abdel Mohsin’s lab. (Northwestern University)

In studies on mice, the treatment has proven successful in blocking this sugar signal, “awakening” immune cells and slowing cancer growth.

In two mouse models, tumors treated with the antibody grew significantly slower than the groups that did not receive treatment. the study Show.

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These findings could pave the way toward testing in human populations, potentially in combination with chemotherapy and therapy Existing immunotherapiesaccording to the researchers.

The results were published in the journal Cancer Research on November 3.

The study’s senior author, Mohamed Abdel Mohsen, is shown in his lab. He said: “This is early stage, pre-clinical research, and is not a treatment today, but it opens a new immune target in pancreatic cancer.” (Northwestern University)

Abdel Mohsen said: “This is pre-clinical research at an early stage, and it is not a treatment today, but it opens a new immune target in pancreatic cancer.”

Heloisa B. said: Soares, MD, medical director of the Department of Therapeutics at Huntsman Cancer Institute and associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Utah, said this research is “encouraging” because it points to a new way to help the immune system recognize and fight cells. Pancreatic cancer.

“Pancreatic cancer is known to be good at hiding from the immune system.”

“It was surprising to learn that the protein normally responsible for helping cells stick together is used by pancreatic cancer as a hidden signal not to attack,” Soares, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.

“The amazing part is that when this signal was blocked, the immune cells woke up again and started attacking the tumor more effectively – indicating a promising new direction for treatment.”

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Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms of the disease. It is usually discovered at an advanced stage, leaving patients with limitations Treatment options The researchers noted that the five-year survival rate is only about 13%.

Unlike many other types of cancer, it often does not respond to immunotherapy.

Pancreatic cancer is usually discovered at an advanced stage, leaving patients with limited treatment options and a five-year survival rate of only about 13%. (Istock)

“Pancreatic cancer is often diagnosed late, in part because it remains asymptomatic and is deep in the body,” Dr. Mark Siegel, Fox News’ chief medical analyst, told Fox News Digital.

“It’s also difficult to treat because it doesn’t have many good immune targets and doesn’t mutate very often.”

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The researchers admitted that the study had some limitations – primarily that tests have only been done on animals so far and there are none yet. Human data.

“Animal models cannot capture all the complexities of human pancreatic cancer,” the lead researcher noted. “Tumors also use multiple escape routes, so this strategy is likely part of a combined approach.”

After human trials, researchers estimate that it could take about five years before the treatment becomes available to patients. (Northwestern University)

Safety standards and dosing for long-term treatment are also unknown.

“We need clinical trials to find out how effective this is in humans and whether it has a role Cancer treatments “This is a difficult and deadly cancer, but it is very promising,” Siegel added.

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The research team is now working with doctors at Northwestern University’s Robert Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center on the next steps toward potential human studies, likely in combination with existing chemotherapy and immunotherapies, according to Abdel Mohsen.

“It’s a promising step forward, but it’s not something that will change care overnight.”

“If future studies support this, this approach could be added to the toolbox against pancreatic cancer, likely alongside existing chemo-immunotherapy, not replacing what is effective today,” he told Fox News Digital.

After human trials, researchers estimate that it could take about five years before the treatment becomes available to patients.

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“It’s a promising step forward, but it’s not something that will change care overnight,” Soares added. “Continued funding and participation in clinical trials are essential to keep this progress moving.”

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The study was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health.