Immunological Disorders and Immunotherapy
Open Access

Potential of the Immune System: Enhancing the Body's Ability to Combat Cancer

Jasleen Saini^{* *}Correspondence: Jasleen Saini, Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, Email:

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Description

The immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend the body against harmful substances, including cancer cells. Cancer cells can evade detection by the immune system, but when the immune system recognizes these abnormal cells, it can mount a response to eliminate them. This process is known as immune surveillance, and it plays a crucial role in preventing cancer.

One of the primary components of the immune system that fights cancer is T cells. T cells are specialized immune cells that can recognize and eliminate cancer cells. They do this by recognizing antigens on the surface of the cancer cells and triggering an immune response. However, cancer cells can develop ways to evade detection by T cells, which can allow them to grow and spread unchecked.

To counteract this, researchers have developed several different types of immunotherapies that can help the immune system fight cancer. One approach is to stimulate T cells to recognize and attack cancer cells. This can be done using a type of immunotherapy known as checkpoint inhibitors. Checkpoint inhibitors work by blocking proteins that cancer cells use to evade detection by the immune system. By blocking these proteins, the immune system can better recognize and attack the cancer cells.

Another approach to immunotherapy is to use CAR T-cell therapy. CAR T-cell therapy involves modifying a patient's T cells outside of the body and then re-infusing them back into the patient. The modified T cells are engineered to express a Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) that recognizes a specific antigen on the surface of cancer cells. Once infused back into the patient, these CAR T cells can seek out and destroy cancer cells that express the targeted antigen.

In addition to T cells, other immune cells can also play a role in fighting cancer. Natural killer (NK) cells, for example, are a type of immune cell that can recognize and kill cancer cells. They do this by recognizing abnormal proteins on the surface of the cancer cells and releasing toxic substances that kill the cancer cells.

Dendritic cells are another type of immune cell that can play a role in fighting cancer. Dendritic cells are responsible for presenting antigens to T cells, which can then trigger an immune response. By exposing dendritic cells to cancer cells or cancer cell fragments, researchers can stimulate an immune response against the cancer cells.

Finally, antibodies are another key component of the immune system that can be used to fight cancer. Antibodies are proteins that are produced by B cells in response to a specific antigen. Researchers have developed monoclonal antibodies, which are antibodies that are specifically designed to recognize and bind to cancer cells. Once bound to the cancer cells, these antibodies can trigger an immune response or deliver toxins or other substances that can kill the cancer cells.

In conclusion, the immune system plays a critical role in fighting cancer. T cells, NK cells, dendritic cells, and antibodies all work together to identify and eliminate cancer cells. Researchers have developed several different types of immunotherapies that can stimulate the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells, including checkpoint inhibitors, CAR T-cell therapy, and monoclonal antibodies. While these therapies are not effective for all types of cancer, they have shown promising results for some patients and represent an important new approach to cancer treatment.