A protein that fuels cancer could also be the key to fighting it

A protein that helps cancer grow may also hold a surprising key to fighting it. Scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have discovered that activating this protein in immune cells can make them more effective at attacking tumors, potentially opening a new path toward treating cancers that resist existing therapies.

The findings, published in Nature Immunology , could be especially important for colorectal cancer, which has become the leading cause of cancer-related death among people under 50. Many patients with difficult-to-treat forms of the disease have limited options, particularly when chemotherapy and newer immunotherapy treatments fail. The research suggests that a protein normally associated with cancer growth could instead become a powerful cancer-fighting "force" when activated in the right cells.

Turning a Cancer-Promoting Protein Into an Immune System Weapon