A recent study suggests that the immune systems of cancer patients might influence their treatment outcomes. Researchers from University College London and the Francis Crick Institute discovered that higher levels of immune cells in the blood are linked to improved survival rates in these patients. They used Immune Lymphocyte Estimation from Nucleotide Sequencing (ImmuneLENS), a novel technique that calculates the proportion of T cells and B cells from whole genome sequencing (WGS) data.
The team studied 90,000 WGS samples from both healthy individuals and cancer patients. Results published in Nature Genetics showed that cancer patients had lower T cell levels in their blood compared to healthy individuals. Higher T cell levels were linked to 47% fewer deaths over 5 years post-surgery, predicting cancer outcomes. This correlation remained significant even when considering age, cancer stage, and all cancer types. Researchers suggest incorporating these biological markers into existing genetic tests to assist clinicians in formulating treatment plans.
Professor Nicholas McGranahan from UCL Cancer Institute stated that focusing solely on tumor immune analysis is limited. The new tool can potentially enhance survival rate predictions in cancer patients beyond just tumor T cell count. Interestingly, the study revealed that immune cell proportions decline more rapidly in male cancer patients compared to females, with the underlying reasons for this sex-based difference yet to be determined.
Individuals with initially lower B cell levels in their blood, even when apparently healthy, were later found to develop cancer. This may indicate early-stage cancer or immune system changes preceding the disease. This insight could aid in early cancer detection and treatment planning, as highlighted by the researchers.
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