Infiltration of “interleukin-10-positive macrophages” suggests poor prognosis and immune escape in bladder cancer patients. Schematic photo of the study
Chinanews.com, Shanghai, March 28 (Sun Guogen and Chen Jing) The same bladder cancer and the same treatment plan can achieve very good results in some patients, while in others It may not be as good as it should be, why is this?
The reporter learned on the 28th that a large-scale, multi-center study conducted by Chinese medical experts for more than two years found the reason. Bladder cancer progression, etc. The precision treatment of bladder cancer has an important starting point: in the future, by evaluating the infiltration level of this group of cells in the tumor and removing them in a targeted manner, a more appropriate treatment plan can be formulated for patients. This is expected to develop a new treatment method for bladder cancer based on this.
It is reported that bladder cancer is one of the most malignant tumors in the urinary system. It has the characteristics of easy recurrence and progression. If not treated in time, the 2-year survival rate is less than 15%. Dr. Wang Zewei from Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University told reporters that at present, surgery combined with chemotherapy is the mainstream treatment plan for bladder cancer, but the low response rate and drug resistance of chemotherapy lead to very limited survival benefits for patients. In recent years, immunotherapy, represented by targeting PD-1 and other immune checkpoints, has reshaped the treatment landscape of bladder cancer, but only 20% of patients can respond to new treatments. This means that it is of great significance to accurately assess the risk of disease progression in patients and formulate individualized treatment plans.
Dr. Chang Yuan from Fudan University Affiliated Cancer Hospital said that macrophages are the most abundant type of immune cells in tumors. “Good” macrophages can play an anti-tumor effect by phagocytosing tumor cells and releasing killer factors; while other “bad” macrophages may become “accomplices” under the domestication of tumor cells. This explains the reason, it is very likely that these “bad” macrophages in the tumor of this part of the patient have the upper hand and lead to the failure of the treatment.
The research team identified “bad molecules” – “interleukin-10 positive macrophages”. Their further research found that this group of “bad” cells can make the anti-cancer “main force” – CD8 + T cells unable to function normally, thus unable to kill tumor cells. If there are a lot of “bad molecules” in the patient’s tumor, it is often prone to disease recurrence and metastasis, and it is difficult to benefit from immunotherapy.
The research results obtained by the research team of Professor Xu Jiejie from the School of Basic Medicine, Fudan University, together with Dr. Wang Zewei from Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University and Dr. Chang Yuan from Fudan University Cancer Hospital, were published in the latest issue of the international academic journal In the Journal of Tumor Immunotherapy. Based on this, it is expected to develop a new treatment method for bladder cancer. (End)