SYDNEY, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) — Researchers in Australia have discovered a breakthrough mechanism that explains why cancer patients respond differently to immunotherapy, paving the way for more personalized treatments.
Researchers from the Sydney-based Garvan Institute of Medical Research and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) found that less active versions of the NOD2 gene, combined with radiotherapy or immunotherapy, may help supercharge the immune system’s ability to attack cancer.
A UNSW statement on Monday said the findings, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in the United States, could pave the way for more personalized and effective immunotherapy treatments against a range of cancers.
The research focused on 742 Australians with advanced lung cancer undergoing anti-PD1 immunotherapy, one of the most widely used checkpoint inhibitor cancer treatments.
Among them, 40 showed exceptional immunotherapy responses, with longer survival and strong tumor immune reactions, and were twice as likely to have less active versions of the NOD2 gene and autoimmune reactions from the therapy, researchers said.
“This suggests that blocking two different mechanisms, one governed by PD1 and the other by NOD2, combines to supercharge the immune system against cancer cells,” said the study’s co-lead, Professor Chris Goodnow from the Garvan Institute and the UNSW.
The immune-boosting effect of less active NOD2 extended beyond lung cancer, with 160 various cancer patients showing better anti-PD1 therapy responses, and its role confirmed in colorectal cancer models, according to the study.
“These findings are important because they help us understand the role of the patient as well as the cancer in responding to immune therapy,” said Associate Professor Megan Barnet from Garvan and UNSW, also co-lead of the study.
Goodnow said the aim is to better predict treatment responses for more personalized cancer care and improved patient outcomes. ■