Cancer treatment could soon be assessed using the body's own response systems.
New research from King's College London and Cancer Research UK's London
Research Institute found that the immune system emits a large amount of
antibodies – in a process which is similar to an allergic reaction – when an
epithelial cell is exposed to a carcinogen.
Speaking about the research, Adrian Hayday, infection & inflammatory
diseases group leader at Cancer Research UK, said this discovery could lead to
innovative and simple methods of "monitoring a patient's anti-tumour
responses during treatment allowing us to see if chemotherapy, for example, is
helping or hindering the body's own response to tumours".
He believes that further research in immunotherapy will lead to an improved
understanding of the process and a better chance to halt the spread of tumours.
Doctors currently hypothesise the antibodies are
used to recognise the toxins in other parts of the body and deal with them
before they have the chance to turn cells cancerous.
© Adfero Ltd
Cancer treatment news : 7 December 2011
