Melanoma fights the immune system

Melanoma – the most dangerous skin cancer – can manipulate the human immune system, reports the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

As shown by British scientists from King’s College in London, based on the analysis of tumor biopsies and blood samples, melanoma can manipulate the patient’s immunity.

Earlier work by this team has shown that while melanoma patients produce antibodies that can fight cancer cells, their immune system is often unable to stop the disease from progressing.

Now researchers at King’s College have found that the subtype of antibodies that respond to melanoma cells is unable to produce an effective response.

As shown by studies on samples from 80 patients with melanoma, the conditions created by the tumor attract IgG4 antibodies, which give the weakest response and at the same time interfere with the action of “strong” IgG1 antibodies, if they are found. It has also been confirmed that IgG4 antibodies are not effective in fighting cancer cells.

An additional study of 33 people found that patients with higher levels of weak IgG4 antibodies had a less favorable prognosis than those with levels closer to normal.

If an appropriate test can be developed based on these findings, it will be possible to determine in advance which patients will respond well to immune-stimulating treatment and which will not. It is possible that better methods of stimulating immunity against melanoma may also be developed. (PAP)

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