A new technology has been introduced by researchers at Bar-Ilan University, which aims to enhance cancer treatment decisions using a patient’s biopsy. This innovative biological research and development focuses on monitoring changes in the immune system cells surrounding cancer cells, offering valuable insights into the patient’s immune response and potentially improving the effectiveness of immunotherapy. Funded by the Israel Cancer Association, this groundbreaking approach shows promise in advancing cancer treatment.
In close proximity to cancer cells, immune system cells play a significant role in understanding the patient’s immune response and potentially improving the effectiveness of immunotherapy.
Immunotherapy is a targeted approach to cancer treatment that uses the body’s own immune system to locate and destroy cancer cells. Unlike traditional chemotherapy, which can affect healthy cells throughout the body, immunotherapy provides a more precise and targeted treatment option.
Published in the scientific journal RNA, the study is the first to directly measure the interaction between immune system cells and cancer cells, providing valuable insights into the patient’s immune response and the potential for enhancing immunotherapy.This development allows for the examination of immune cells and cancer cells from a patient’s biopsy, providing new opportunities for personalized treatments and improved outcomes.
According to Dr. Shahar Alon, head researcher at Bar-Ilan University’s Faculty of Engineering, cancer cells are capable of influencing immune cells in order to evade the body’s natural defenses. By analyzing the molecular changes that occur when immune cells come into contact with cancer cells, a better understanding of this complex interaction can be obtained.
Utilizing advanced scanning techniques developed by Dr. Alon’s research group, the team investigated how immune cells express genes.The way immune cells behave changes when they are near cancer cells. Researchers discovered that particular types of immune cells display different genetic patterns when they are close to cancerous tissue.
Dr. Alon stated, “The analysis uncovered several genes that are only active in immune cells that come into contact with cancer cells. Interestingly, CD8 T immune cells, which are known for their ability to directly attach to and eliminate cancer cells, exhibited a higher level of gene activation compared to CD4 T cells.”
This new method of sequencing biopsies provides a valuable tool for identifying genes that play a role in the immune system’s response to cancer. This allows for the assessment of the immune system’s activity against cancer.
By understanding the immune system’s response to cancer cells, clinicians can make better decisions about immunotherapy treatments for individual patients, ultimately improving patient outcomes.
Moshe Bar Haim, CEO of the Israel Cancer Association, highlights the global significance of this research: “Research has no boundaries, and each breakthrough has the potential to benefit patients worldwide. This new understanding of the immune system’s response to cancer cells holds promise for more effective treatments and higher recovery rates.”
Conducted by student researchers Michal Danino and Tal Goldberg, under the guidance of Dr. Alon and Prof. Gonen Singer, this study was highly praised.Funding for this study was provided by the Israel Cancer Association, the Israel National Science Foundation, and the Sheba/Bar-Ilan grant.
