TUMOUR DISCOVERY

A new groundbreaking study led by engineering and medical researchers at the University of Minnesota shows how engineered immune cells used in new cancer therapies can allow a patient’s own immune system to fight tumours. Instead of using chemicals or radiation, immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that helps the patient’s immune system fight cancer. While there has been success in using immunotherapy for some types of cancer in the blood or bloodproducing organs, it is more difficult with solid tumours. In a fibrous mass of a tumour, the stiffness of the tumour causes immune cells to slow down. For the study the researchers engineered immune cells to prevent this from happening, making the therapy more effective. While initial research has been focused on pancreatic cancer, the researchers are hoping the techniques they are developing could be used on many types of cancers.