Scientists are analyzing why some tumors block the immune system’s action and how to reverse that process to improve treatments for cancers such as lung and ovarian tumors. Insights from a specialist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cancer causes nearly 10 million deaths each year due to the uncontrolled growth of cells that invade nearby tissues and spread throughout the body via metastasis. Cancer is one of the world’s leading causes of death, with almost 10 million fatalities recorded in 2020. This disease, characterized by the unrestrained proliferation of abnormal cells, poses a global challenge because of its ability to infiltrate surrounding tissues and metastasize to distant organs. Despite advances in treatments like immunotherapy, many types of tumors, including lung and ovarian cancer, remain difficult to treat.
In this context, Stefani Spranger, a researcher and associate professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), seeks to understand why the immune system often fails to recognize and combat cancer cells. One of science’s main goals is to make these tumors visible to the body so that the organism itself can limit or even eliminate the oncological disease.
The body has natural mechanisms to fight cancer, including T cells, a specialized class of white blood cells capable of detecting and destroying abnormal cells before they become tumors. However, in some cases, certain cancers develop strategies to evade this natural immune response by emitting immunosuppressive signals that weaken or “exhaust” T cells’ ability to react—thus allowing the disease to progress.
According to WHO data, between 30 % and 50 % of cancer cases can be prevented with evidence-based strategies, while others are curable if detected and treated promptly. For this reason, much of today’s immunotherapy research focuses on understanding why certain cancers—such as lung and ovarian—can neutralize immune cell activity. The goal is to develop innovative treatments capable of reversing this blockade and reactivating the immune system’s natural ability to identify, fight, and potentially eliminate the hardest-to-treat tumors.
“We want to understand why our immune system doesn’t recognize cancer,” said Spranger in an MIT press release. Her research seeks to enhance immune responses through vaccines or immune-stimulating molecules known as cytokines—an approach that could represent a significant shift in the treatment of the most challenging cancers.
The Challenge of Reactivating T Lymphocytes
According to the WHO, lung and ovarian cancer are among the leading causes of global mortality and require innovative approaches, as their survival rates depend heavily on effective therapies. The immune system not only protects the body from infections but also has the ability to detect and destroy cancer cells. Yet, some tumor cells manage to escape this surveillance and develop into malignant tumors that emit immunosuppressive signals, exhausting the T cells and leaving them unable to attack.
In recent years, immunotherapy drugs have proven effective in reactivating T cells in certain cancers, such as melanoma. These treatments work by blocking the signals that inhibit T cells, enabling them to attack the tumor again. However, MIT notes that this approach has not shown the same success in other cancers, such as lung and ovarian.
To address this issue, Spranger’s team has developed experimental models that mimic different subtypes of non-small-cell lung cancer—a type of tumor that usually responds poorly to immunotherapy. Their goal is to analyze why the immune system behaves differently depending on the affected tissue.
For example, while immune checkpoint inhibitors can trigger a strong response in skin tissue, their effectiveness is far lower in the lungs. “We are focusing specifically on ovarian cancer and glioblastoma because there are currently no effective treatments for them,” Spranger explained. Her team uses animal models to replicate these tumors’ characteristics and study in detail how the immune system interacts with them—seeking to uncover the mechanisms of immune evasion and test new therapeutic strategies.
According to MIT, resistant tumors create microenvironments that suppress T cell activity, reducing their ability to fight cancer. Spranger aims to identify what changes are needed in these environments to trigger an effective immune response. “We are working to understand exactly what the problem is and then collaborate with engineers to find a good solution,” she stated.
New Strategies for Resistant Tumors
T lymphocytes are white blood cells that can detect and eliminate abnormal cells in the body, but some cancers emit signals that weaken them. One of the most promising approaches, MIT highlights, is the combination of therapies involving cytokines and other immune-stimulating agents to overcome the barriers tumors impose on the immune system.
Spranger’s work emphasizes the importance of the tumor microenvironment, a complex ecosystem composed of immune cells, blood vessels, and other elements surrounding the tumor. This microenvironment can influence the immune system’s effectiveness both positively and negatively. Some tumors, for instance, release substances that inhibit T cells, pushing them into a state of exhaustion known as “exhausted T cells.” The challenge is to reprogram this microenvironment to favor the immune response. This could involve combined therapies that not only attack the tumor but also strengthen the patient’s immune defenses.
The researcher has found that the joint administration of cytokines and checkpoint inhibitors improves T cell activation in the lungs. These molecules stimulate dendritic cells, which are essential for immune regulation. According to Spranger, “They are the conductors of the orchestra for all T cells, although they represent a very small cell population.”
Dendritic cells, though scarce, are crucial because they control and activate the T cells needed to fight resistant tumors, according to MIT. The ability to reprogram the immune system could be a game-changer in cancers that are hard to treat. The WHO notes that lung and ovarian cancer are among the top global causes of death, with survival rates highly dependent on access to effective therapies. “We want to understand what needs to be done in those areas to induce a truly strong antitumor immune response,” the expert emphasized.
Spranger’s approach, which combines basic research with interdisciplinary collaboration, aims to improve therapeutic options and pave the way for more personalized and effective treatments. “We build model systems that resemble each of the different non-small-cell lung cancer subsets that do not respond, and we are trying to get to the bottom of why the immune system does not respond adequately,” she said.
Although many questions remain unanswered, advances in understanding the immune system and its interaction with tumors are opening new possibilities. According to the WHO, between 30 % and 50 % of cancer cases could be prevented through evidence-based strategies, and many tumors can be cured if detected and treated early. However, for advanced or resistant cases like those studied by Spranger, innovative approaches are needed to overcome the current treatment limitations.
Infobae is an Argentine digital media outlet founded in 2002 by businessman Daniel Hadad, originally based in Buenos Aires. (Wikipedia) It is characterized as a native digital newspaper, focused on covering current affairs, economics, politics, culture, technology, and entertainment, both nationally and internationally. (Wikipedia) It has established itself as one of the most-read news sites in the country, leading Argentina’s digital audience rankings. (Infobae) Additionally, it is part of the Infobae Group, which encompasses various media platforms across Argentina and Latin America. (Wikipedia)
0 Comments