New treatment may improve immune system’s ability to destroy cancer cells

There are about 450 cancer deaths every day in the UK. Researchers continue to seek effective treatments to cure the killer disease, but surgery remains the most common primary treatment for most cancers to date. However, a new study has identified novel ways to inhibit immune cells, which could potentially boost protection against the disease and save millions of lives.

There are over 200 different types of cancer, and all have different signs and symptoms. Cancer treatments vary depending on the type of cancer, but mainly include the use of surgery, radiation, medications to shrink and stop the progression of tumours.

However, researchers have discovered a new way to boost the immune cells that detect and destroy the disease. Researchers at the University of Southampton have identified a potentially groundbreaking treatment that could strengthen the immune system’s ability to seek out and destroy cancer cells.

The findings shows that by restricting a group of cells known to impede immune responses, the treatment frees up other immune cells that go on to attack tumours and cancer cells.

Nulling Divecha, professor of Cell Signalling at the University of Southampton, said: “A patient’s immune system is more than able to detect and remove cancer cells and immunotherapy has recently emerged as a novel therapy for many different types of cancers.”