Immune Response Linked to Colon Cancer Survival French
researchers have found an association between how well the body
responds to colon tumors and survival among more than 400
patients with the disease. They suggest that analyzing tumors
for the presence of certain immune cells could yield valuable
prognostic information for patients. The results support the
theory that the immune system may influence the behavior of
tumors. In recent years, studies of ovarian cancer and
follicular lymphoma have suggested that the presence or absence
of certain immune cells in tumors can be used to predict the
survival of patients with these diseases. The new study expands
this research to colorectal cancer. Like the others, it focuses
on the presence of T cells in tumors; these immune cells react
to specific threats to the body. "Our data reveal that the
immune reaction at the tumor site determines the cancer's
evolution and clinical outcome regardless of the local extent
and spread of the tumor," says co-lead investigator