Rare T Cells May Help Predict Immunotherapy Response in Patients With Skin Cancer
Source: The Asco Post, January 2024
A rare subset of T cells called V-delta 1 gamma-delta (Vd1-gd) T cells could help predict which patients with advanced skin cancer may be responsive to immunotherapy, according to a novel study published by Davies et al in Nature Cancer. The new findings may lead to the development of new and more effective treatment options for patients with melanoma who do not benefit from current immunotherapies.
Background
When advancing, cancer cells are capable of targeting checkpoint proteins on immune cells to weaken the body’s immune response. As a result, the immune cells responsible for attacking cancer cells are considered suppressed and deactivated, allowing the cancer to grow unchecked. Previous studies have shown that immune checkpoint inhibitors can reactivate T cells formerly suppressed by cancer cells and block the pathways to the checkpoints on T cells.
The T cells can then kill cancer cells by recognizing cancer cell mutations not present in healthy cells. This treatment strategy can sometimes cure patients with metastatic cancer; however, most patients with advanced cancers do not benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitors and the treatments can often cause lifelong side effects.