Harnessing the cancer-fighting potential of the human immune system
Most people are well aware that our immune system defends us from disease. This complex network of cells and proteins saves us from certain death by successfully fighting a multitude of infections caused by viruses, bacteria and other microbes. When strengthened by vaccination, the immune system can even prevent infection. This protective power is made possible by the immune system’s exquisitely sensitive ability to discriminate between the body’s healthy tissue and diseased cells that appear foreign or damaged, such as those infected with viruses.
This ability to distinguish between normal and abnormal means that the immune system can also be a powerful weapon against cancer. Although cancer cells have many similarities to healthy ones, they often produce unique proteins or manufacture normal proteins in great excess compared to healthy cells. Fred Hutchinson scientists were among the first to recognize the cancer-fighting potential of the human immune system and to exploit it to develop effective new treatments, collectively known as immunotherapy.
What advantage does immunotherapy have over traditional cancer treatments? Although surgery, radiation and chemotherapy have been important weapons against cancer, all can cause severe side effects. In addition to eliminating cancer cells, these treatments also cause damage to healthy tissue. In contrast, the immune system’s ability to discriminate between healthy and abnormal cells means that immune-based therapies are highly specific for cancer cells and are far less toxic than conventional drugs.
In the feature story, you will read about four exciting areas of immunotherapy research at Fred Hutchinson:
- Mini-transplants: This modified form of stem-cell transplantation uses the power of immune cells from a donor to fight leukemia and other blood cancers. And, it requires no hospitalization. The technique also holds promise for treating solid cancers.
- Adoptive T-cell therapy: Researchers use this approach to find and extract rare cancer-fighting cells from a patient’s body, grow them in large quantities and infuse them back into patients, where they seek out and destroy tumors or virus-infected cells.
- Targeted-antibody therapy: Immune-system proteins called antibodies are used to carry radiation or chemotherapy directly to cancer cells, sparing healthy cells from damage.
- Cancer vaccines: Much like vaccination can prevent measles or mumps, researchers have found that vaccines also hold promise for preventing cancer recurrence after traditional cancer therapy.
Our dramatic early successes in each of these areas have encouraged us to embark on a major fund-raising initiative to support research on new immune-based cancer therapies. Your support of these and other efforts is what allows Fred Hutchinson to stay at the forefront of advances in cancer research — advances that already are improving the prospects of those suffering with cancer.
Lee Hartwell
President & Director
