New pancreatic cancer treatment awakens immune cells, researchers say
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Scientists have created a new antibody treatment that helps the immune system recognize and attack pancreatic cancer.
Pancreatic cancer cells use a sugary “disguise” to trick the immune system into ignoring them.
Most current cancer immunotherapies target proteins or genes, but this new therapy targets sugars on the cell surface, blocking them so immune cells can find and attack cancer, according to researchers at Northwestern University in Chicago.
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“Pancreatic cancer is notoriously good at hiding from the immune system, but we were surprised that a single sugar, called sialic acid, can so powerfully fool immune cells,” senior author Mohamed Abdel-Mohsen, an associate professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, told News Digital.
“When tumors are coated with this molecule, it activates an immunological ‘off switch’ in certain immune cells, essentially signaling: ‘I am a normal, healthy cell; please do not attack.'”
Study authors Mohamed Abdel-Mohsen (top) and Pratima Saini (foreground) appear in Abdel-Mohsen’s lab. (Northwest University)
In mouse studies, the therapy was shown to be successful in blocking this sugar signal, “waking up” immune cells and slowing cancer growth.
In two mouse models, tumors treated with the antibody grew significantly more slowly than groups that did not receive the treatment, the study showed.
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According to the researchers, these findings could pave the way for testing in human groups and could potentially be combined with existing chemotherapy and immunotherapies.
The findings were published in the journal Cancer Research on November 3.
The study’s lead author, Mohamed Abdel-Mohsen, is shown in his laboratory. “This is early-stage preclinical research, not a treatment today, but it opens up a new immunological target in pancreatic cancer,” he said. (Northwest University)
“This is early-stage preclinical research, not a treatment today, but it opens up a new immunological target in pancreatic cancer,” Abdel-Mohson said.
Heloisa P. Soares, M.D., Ph.D., medical director of theranostics 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 pancreatic cancer.
“Pancreatic cancer is very good at hiding from the immune system.”
“It was surprising to learn that a protein usually responsible for helping cells stick together is also being used by pancreatic cancer as a hidden ‘do not attack’ signal,” Soares, who was not involved in the study, told News Digital.
“What was surprising was that when this signal was blocked, the immune cells woke up again and began attacking the tumor much more effectively, suggesting a promising new direction for treatment.”
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Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms of the disease. It is usually detected at an advanced stage, leaving patients with limited treatment options and a five-year survival rate of only about 13 percent, the researchers noted.
Unlike many other cancers, it often does not respond to immunotherapy.
Pancreatic cancer is usually detected 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. Marc Siegel, News senior medical analyst, told News Digital.
“It’s also difficult to treat because it doesn’t have many good immune targets and it doesn’t mutate as much.”
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The study had some limitations, the researchers acknowledged, mainly that testing so far has only been done on animals and there is no data on humans yet.
“Animal models cannot capture the full complexity of human pancreatic cancer,” said the lead researcher. “Tumors also use multiple escape routes, so this strategy will likely be part of a combined approach.”
After human trials, researchers estimate it could be about five years before the therapy is available to patients. (Northwest University)
The long-term safety and dosing parameters of the therapy are also unknown.
“We need clinical trials to see how effective this is in humans and if it has any role in treatments for this difficult and deadly cancer, but it is quite promising,” Siegel added.
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The research team is now working with doctors at Northwestern’s Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center on next steps toward possible human studies, likely in combination with current chemotherapy and immunotherapies, according to Abdel-Mohsen.
“It’s a promising step forward, but not something that’s going to change attention overnight.”
“If supported by future studies, this approach could be added to the pancreatic cancer toolbox, likely alongside existing chemoimmunotherapy, without replacing what works today,” he told News Digital.
After human trials, researchers estimate it could be about five years before the therapy is available to patients.
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Soares added: “This is a promising step forward, but not something that will change care overnight. Continued funding and participation in clinical trials is essential to keep this progress moving forward.”
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The study was funded in part by the National Institutes of Health.
Melissa Rudy is a senior health editor and member of the lifestyle team at News Digital. Story tips can be sent to melissa.rudy@News.com.