New Biotech Aims To Boost Immunotherapy For Cancer Patients

New immune system technology developed by researchers at Bar-Ilan University aims to tailor a cancer patient’s treatment to her or his own body. 

The new biotech measures the changes in the immune system cells surrounding cancer cells, showing how the patient’s body is responding to immunotherapy – a precision treatment that encourages the immune system to attack and kill cancer cells.  

This is the first time that scientists have been able to measure the interaction between immune and cancer cells from a patient’s biopsy.  

The research team, under the supervision of Dr. Shahar Alon of Bar-Ilan’s Faculty of Engineering in conjunction with the Israel Cancer Association, studied the changes in the behavior of immune cells when in close proximity to cancer cells. The team found that certain kinds of immune cells display a distinct genetic signature when they are situated near cancerous tissue.

The researchers say that observing the interaction between the two kinds of cells will enable physicians to make better informed decisions about a patient’s immunotherapy treatment.  

“Cancer cells have the ability to manipulate immune cells, evading the body’s natural defenses,” said Alon. 

“By quantifying the molecular changes that occur when immune cells encounter cancer cells, we gain a deeper understanding of this complex interplay,” he said. 

“Research knows no boundaries, and every breakthrough has the potential to benefit patients worldwide,” said Israel Cancer Association CEO Moshe Bar Haim. 

“This new understanding of the immune system’s response to cancer cells holds promise for more effective treatments and higher recovery rates.”

The research was recently published in RNA scientific journal.