A team at University College London (UCL), funded by Cancer Research UK and the Medical Research Council (MRC), has identified a potential method to prevent lung cancer in its early stages. The research, led by Associate Professor James Reading and Professor Sam Janes, suggests new ways to intervene before the disease fully develops.
The study, published today in the journal Nature, found that specialised immune cells called regulatory T cells (Tregs) gradually accumulate months or years before lung cancer forms. These Tregs may suppress other immune cells, potentially allowing pre-cancers to develop into tumours without challenge.
Prototype blood tests were used to monitor Treg levels, which could help identify individuals at higher risk of lung cancer or those with an early form of the disease. Researchers also explored using targeted cancer drugs to reverse the immune-suppressing effect of Tregs. In laboratory experiments, this approach halved the proportion of animals that developed lung tumours and prevented the formation of all large tumours.
Associate Professor James Reading stated that new methods are urgently needed to prevent lung cancer in high-risk individuals. Professor Sam Janes highlighted that this research is part of an emerging field called cancer interception, aiming to stop pre-cancers from becoming full-fledged cancers.