Drugs turn immune system against cancer

A study published in Cell shows a class of experimental drug treatments that could help the body’s immune system fight cancer and is already in clinical trials

Scientists at the University of Edinburgh revealed that a protein called Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK)  - often over-produced in tumours - enables cancer cells to elude attacks by the immune system.  

FAK usually sends signals to help healthy cells to grow and move around but the researchers discovered it plays a different role in cancer cells, changing the nature of the immune system so that it protects the cancer cells rather than destroying them.

The scientists then used an experimental FAK inhibitor which prevented this change in the immune system and allowed the cancer cells to be treated as a threat.

McClellan said that this is the first time that FAK inhibitors have influenced the immune system and shown whether or not it recognises and fights cancer.

The research published in the study  was carried out in mice with a form of skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma. The results showed that tumours completely disappeared when the mice were given FAK inhibitors.

Dr Alan Serrels, one of the lead authors, at the Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre at the University of Edinburgh, said: “FAK is hi-jacked by cancer cells to protect them from the immune system. This exciting research reveals that by blocking FAK, we’ve now found a promising new way to help the immune system recognise the cancer and fight it.

“The drug in this study is already in early stage clinical trials and could potentially be an excellent complement to existing immunotherapy treatments. Because it works within tumour cells rather than influencing the immune cells directly, it could offer a way to reduce the side effects of treatments that harness the power of the immune system against cancer.”