Researchers identify gamma delta T cells as potential weapon against lung cancer

Researchers at Australia’s Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) have identified a specific group of immune cells, known as gamma delta T cells, that can recognize and destroy small cell lung cancer. This type of cancer is particularly aggressive, accounting for 10% to 15% of lung cancer cases, and currently has a five-year survival rate of less than 7%.

Small cell lung cancer often evades detection by conventional immune defenses. However, the study, published in the journal Cancer Cell, found that gamma delta T cells use alternative biological signals to detect cellular stress in tumors. Laboratory experiments using miniature tumor models showed that these cells successfully identified and killed cancer cells.

The study also investigated how existing medicines might enhance this immune response. Researchers found that tarlatamab, a treatment for small cell lung cancer, and zoledronate, a medicine used for bone conditions, appeared to support the immune attack through different mechanisms. These findings could lead to new adoptive cell therapies, where a patient’s own gamma delta T cells are collected, multiplied in a laboratory, and reintroduced to fight the tumor.