Cancer: How the tumor tricks the immune system

Cancer cells can resist the action of the immune system. Even more surprisingly, the inflammation induced by immune cells, initially useful for recognizing and eliminating malignant cells, can end up benefiting tumors. But why? Scientists at the Salk Institute (California, USA) have uncovered the biological mechanism behind this failure.“Cancer cells possess a remarkable ability to adapt to pressures from the immune system”,“ laments Gerald Shadel, lead author of the study.“We discovered that the same immune signals that initially help fight a tumor can, when they persist without resolution, be exploited by cancer cells to promote their own survival and growth.”These signals are interferons, chemical messengers that contribute to the body's alarm system. However, prolonged exposure to these proteins is problematic because it disrupts cellular function, particularly that of mitochondria, the cell's energy powerhouses. This, in turn, promotes tumor growth. The results of this new study were published in the journal Science.

Interferons, warning signals that promote inflammation