Why some immunotherapy fails: Tumor-triggered neutrophils can shut down cancer-killing T cells

Article excerpt

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have identified why some cancer immunotherapies fail: tumor cells produce a signaling molecule that hijacks neutrophils, abundant white blood cells, turning them into suppressors that choke off the T cells designed to kill cancer. The discovery, published in Immunity, reveals a previously overlooked immune sabotage mechanism. Understanding this pathway could help clinicians predict which patients will respond to treatment and potentially design combination therapies that neutralize the neutrophil blockade, widening immunotherapy's reach beyond current responders.