Researchers at the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology (VIB) and KU Leuven have found how cancer cells that spread to the liver evade the immune system. They say disrupting this process restores immune cells' natural anti-cancer activity and slows the growth of liver metastases.
VIB announced the findings on Wednesday, describing them as a new step towards understanding why liver metastases are so difficult to treat.
Liver metastases are among the most common and most challenging forms of cancer to treat. Despite advances in cancer therapy, the outlook often remains poor once cancer cells spread to the liver.
In the study, researchers examined how metastatic cancer cells interact with their surroundings to survive. They found that the cells use a nutrient present in the liver to manipulate immune cells.
Under normal conditions, immune cells help detect and destroy cancer cells. The researchers found, however, that metastatic tumours can undermine this natural defence mechanism and, in doing so, support their own survival.
By blocking this effect in experimental models, the team restored immune cell activity and reduced the growth of liver metastases.
The scientists cautioned that further research is needed before the discovery could lead to treatments for patients. Even so, VIB said the study offers fresh insight into how metastases develop and survive, and how the immune system might be used to disrupt that process.
"Liver metastases remain particularly difficult to treat," said Sarah-Maria Fendt of the VIB-KU Leuven Centre for Cancer Biology.
"By better understanding how cancer cells take advantage of the liver's unique environment, we can deepen our research into making these tumours vulnerable to the immune system again."
