MD Anderson Ties 33% 5-Year Survival in Skin Cancer to Immune Signaling Failure
Updated
Updated · BIOENGINEER.ORG · Aug 6
MD Anderson Ties 33% 5-Year Survival in Skin Cancer to Immune Signaling Failure
3 articles · Updated · BIOENGINEER.ORG · Aug 6
Summary
A Cell study of 138 non-melanoma skin cancer patients found immunosuppressed patients had far worse outcomes, with 33% five-year overall survival versus 68.8% in immunocompetent patients.
Single-cell analysis showed the tumors still contained many of the same immune-cell types, but Macrophages in immunosuppressed patients communicated poorly with neighboring immune cells and failed to coordinate an effective antitumor response.
The team also found reduced receptor diversity in immune cells tied to immunosuppressed tumors, suggesting the immune system retained key components but lost the flexibility to recognize and respond to cancer efficiently.
That mechanism could redirect treatment research for transplant recipients and patients with blood cancers, who often cannot safely receive Checkpoint inhibitors because immune activation can trigger organ rejection or severe complications.