Infection, Immunity and Cancer

TL;DR

Immune system plays a critical role in fighting cancer and recent developments in immune-based therapies are revolutionizing cancer treatment.

Transcript

um this evening I'm going to do the transition point between my sessions for last year which were about the really remarkable successes we've had in combating infections and this year when I'm going to be talking about cancers the variety of cancers that are major killers in the world today and I taught us the first subject therefore we should star... Read More

Key Insights

• ♋ Infections can drive certain types of cancers, and preventing or treating these infections can prevent or reduce the risk of developing cancer.
• 🎮 The immune system plays a crucial role in both fighting infections and controlling cancer growth.
• ⚾ Immune-based therapies, such as antibodies and cell-based therapies, are revolutionizing cancer treatment by harnessing the power of the immune system.

Questions & Answers

Q: What are some of the major cancers driven by infections?

Cervical cancer (caused by HPV), liver cancer (caused by hepatitis B and C), stomach cancer (caused by H. pylori), and some rare cancers caused by parasites and viruses like HIV.

Q: How does the immune system fight cancer cells?

The immune system recognizes cancer cells as abnormal and attacks and kills them. Natural killer cells, T lymphocytes, and B lymphocytes play important roles in this process.

Q: What is the significance of using antibodies in cancer treatment?

Antibodies can be used to flag cancer cells for destruction by the immune system, interfere with cancer cell function, or deliver toxic drugs directly to cancer cells.

Q: What is CAR-T therapy and how does it work?

CAR-T therapy involves modifying a patient's own T cells to express a receptor that recognizes cancer cells. These modified T cells are then multiplied in the lab and reinfused into the patient, where they hunt down and kill cancer cells.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Infections play a major role in driving certain types of cancers, such as cervical cancer, liver cancer, and stomach cancer.

• The immune system fights both infections and cancer cells, and harnessing the immune system can be an effective way to treat cancer.

• Antibodies, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and cell-based therapies are some of the immune-based treatments currently being used to combat cancer.