Modern therapies

How the immune system can defeat cancer

If it is possible to remove the "camouflage cap" from the cancer cells, they can be fought by the immune system.(Bild: freshidea - stock.adobe.com)

Our immune system not only protects us from invading pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, etc., but can also kill cancer cells or keep them in check. To do this, however, it must first recognize them as "foreign" or "diseased", which is not so easy. 

Tumor cells often camouflage themselves very cleverly, change constantly or develop strategies to escape the immune system. Depending on the type of cancer, the characteristics of the tumor and the stage of the disease, there are different methods to get the immune system to fight the "malignant" cells. For example, by supplying monoclonal antibodies (artificially produced protein molecules), the immune cells are directed straight to the cancer cells.

It is also possible to prevent the formation of new blood vessels to supply the tumor or to reverse the paralysis of the body's own immune system caused by the cancer cells. Furthermore, special cells can be manipulated in such a way that they can attack the tumor directly. While some approaches, such as CAR-T cell therapy or checkpoint inhibitors, are already frequently used, others are currently rarely considered or are still under development.

Specialized cells regulate immune response
Prof. MR. Dr. Friedrich Gill, gynaecologist in Vienna, sees "dendritic cell therapy" as an innovative and promising form of immunotherapy. This form of therapy uses the properties of specialized cells of the immune system (dendritic cells), which are responsible for the recognition and presentation of antigens (molecules that are recognized as "foreign" and attacked) to the "killer T cells", as the expert explains.

"The precursor cells taken from the patient's blood are isolated in the laboratory, where they mature into dendritic cells and are then loaded with tumor antigens. They are then injected back into the patient, where they activate the T cells and trigger a targeted immune response against the tumor cells. After cell vaccination, the patient is closely monitored through regular check-ups, blood tests and imaging techniques to track the immune response and progression of the cancer. If necessary, further treatments can be carried out," says Prof. Gill.

Expert sees great potential for the therapy
According to the gynaecologist, this method should enable targeted control, long-lasting immunity and treatment that is individually tailored to each patient with fewer side effects. "In some cases, dendritic cell therapy has shown impressive results, with patients achieving long-term remissions or even cures. This makes it a particularly attractive option in cancer treatment."

Dr. Gill continues: "Almost 95 percent of all cancers can be treated with dendritic cell therapy. The potential could be further maximized by combining it with other forms of therapy, such as checkpoint inhibitors or CAR-T cell therapies."