Australian researchers identify immune cells capable of attacking small cell lung cancer

Researchers at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) in Australia have identified a specific type of immune cell that can recognize and attack small cell lung cancer (SCLC), one of the deadliest forms of the disease.

According to the study published in Cancer Cell, gamma delta (γδ) T cells are capable of detecting these tumors, which often evade the immune system by suppressing the molecules that conventional T cells use for recognition. The research indicates that patients with higher levels of these gamma delta T cells in their tumors tend to have longer survival rates.

Furthermore, the study suggests that two existing medications could potentially be used to enhance the ability of these immune cells to destroy cancer cells. This discovery may lead to new personalized immunotherapy options for SCLC and other tumors that typically remain ‘invisible’ to standard immune responses.