Scientists at the University of Antwerp are currently working on the development of a new treatment for pancreatic cancer and the advanced stages of cancer of the colon. These two types of cancer are currently difficult to treat as the cancerous tumours are encased in a particularly strong protective shield. However, the Antwerp University scientists have now found a way to attack and penetrate this shield. The new treatment still needs to be tested on humans, but the result of tests carried out on mice have been encouraging.
Scientists at Antwerp University developing new treatment for pancreatic cancer and cancer of the colon
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The prospects for people that have been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer or advanced cancer of the colon are in the main not good. These are particularly aggressive forms of cancer that spread quickly and respond poorly or even not at all to treatment.
Research by scientists at Antwerp University that was financed by the cancer charity Kom op tegen Kanker has produced what appears to be a major breakthrough.
Evelien Smits of Antwerp University’s Centre for Oncological Research told VRT News that "These cancers have a very strong immune shield made up of connective tissue cells that nestle around the tumors. This makes it difficult for medicines and radiological treatment to reach the cancerous cells. We have now discovered that there is a type of protein CD70 on the outside of the connective tissue cells. The same protein is also present on the exterior of the cancerous cells, making it the ideal target to attack during treatment."
The attack is mounted by adapting cells from the immune system in a lab and providing them with a kind of grabbing arm that recognises the protein. The grabbing arm is called a CAR (chimeric antigen receptor). The CAR grabs its "prey" and attack it.
Pancreatic cancer: the risk factors and survival rates
Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer. Just 13% to 14% of patients are still alive 5 years after diagnosis (not taking into account other causes of death).
The number of people with pancreatic cancer is increasing. In 2021 2,250 people in Belgium were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. This is twice the number 15 years ago. Pancreatic cancer is most common among people over the age of 70.
Fewer side effects and much cheaper
This kind of treatment is already being used successfully to tackle certain types of blood and bone marrow cancer. However, the existing treatment is expensive and can cause serious side effects.
"Up until now T cells have been used in immune therapy. T cells are a kind of immune cells that can destroy cancer cells. However, they can also put the immune system into overdrive. We can act to bring the situation under control, but there is also a small chance that the patient will die”.
Consequently, the researchers used a different type of immune cells known as “killer cells”.
Antwerp University’s Jonas Van Audenaerde told VRT News that "These are potentially safer than T cells. Early clinical tests showed hardly any side effects”.
"Furthermore, we can produce these cells on a large scale from blood given by healthy doners. With modified T cell they have to be made patient by patient from the patient’s own blood”.
"With the grabbing arm we will be able to produce a large quantity of killer cells at once that will always become available straight away when the patient needs them. This will reduce the cost of treatment”.
Cancer of the colon: the risks and survival chances
The survival chances of those that have been diagnosed with cancer of the colon are better than for those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. 5 years after first having been diagnosed 70% of patients are still alive. Pancreatic cancer is also more common. In 2021 7,880 people in Belgium were diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer. Both among women and men it is the second most common form of cancer in Belgium.
The risk of pancreatic cancer increases with age. Other risk factors include smoking, drinking alcohol, poor diet, too little exercise and being overweight. In both the Flemish and the Brussels-Capital Regions everyone between the ages of 50 and 74 are invited to take a free test for pancreatic cancers every 2 years.
Tests on humans
The new immunotherapy has only been tested on mice and on human cells in the lab. But the initial results are promising. “We have seen in the lab that the natural killer cells we created recognise and destroy the correct cells in the tumour," PhD student Astrid Van den Eynde told VRT News.
The researchers hope that their new immunotherapy can be used on patients within the next 5 years. Preparations or the first clinic tests are currently under way.
Further research is also underway to see if the therapy is affective against other forms of cancer.
"We have again received funding from Kom op tegen Kanker for a follow-up study. It seems that our therapy will also work against other forms of cancer" Professor Smits told VRT News.
The results have been published in the Journal of Hematology & Oncology. Click here to read the study in full.