The human immune system is poised to spring into action at the first sign of a foreign invader, but it often fails to eliminate tumours that arise from the body’s own cells. Cancer biologists are now looking to harness that untapped power using an approach known as cancer immunotherapy.
Orchestrating a successful immune attack against tumours has proved difficult in the past, but a new study from MIT suggests that such therapies could be improved by simultaneously activating both arms of the immune system. Until now, most researchers have focused on one of two strategies: attacking tumours with antibodies, which activate the innate immune system, or stimulating T cells, which form the backbone of the adaptive immune system. By combining these approaches, the MIT team was able to halt the growth of a very aggressive form of melanoma in mice.
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