Duke Team Finds Missing Immune Cells That Could Fight Lethal Brain Tumors

The mechanism by which a tumor suppresses and evades immune response is tremendously complex. And while directly "locking" helper cells in bone marrow may seem a most pernicious defense. It isn't the only one.

For immunotherapy to fulfill its promise. Every type of response for every category of tumor cell must be decoded. As well as every effective ligand to boost immune cell strategy.

Currently there are only a handful of therapies approved globally. Among hundreds of ongoing trials that need patients to sign up.

The inefficiency in the marketplace landscape then is a disconnect. Between patients for whom there may be a potential cure. And researchers who lack the reach to connect with them.

There is probably potential for a startup here that connects the two ;)

Nature Medicine paper here : https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-018-0135-2

"Sequestration of T cells in bone marrow is therefore a tumor-adaptive mode of T cell dysfunction, whose reversal may constitute a promising immunotherapeutic adjunct."

Is it possible that glioblastoma cancer is a result of two different dysfunctions? The glioblastoma tumor in the brain, and an unrelated sequestration of T cells in the bone marrow?

The abstract states that the loss of S1P1 is tumor imposed, but not having access to the paper, I don't know what they mean by that.

(from the second image)

"Duke scientists discovered an abundance of missing T-cells trapped within the bone marrow."

"an abundance of missing"

I know everyone makes mistakes, but I can't even fathom writing this sentence and thinking it sounded good