Researchers tweak the immune system to target cells bearing tumor antigens

Researchers have succeeded in generating cells of the immune system to specifically target and destroy cancer cells. The immune system of the body is trained to distinguish between "foreign" and "self" and to recognize and destroy exogenous structures. In cancer, however, the immune system appears to be quite docile in its response. While it is capable of detecting cancer cells because they often bear characteristics (antigens) on their surfaces that identify them as pathologically altered cells, usually the immune system does not mount an attack but rather tolerates them.

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