The aim of immunotherapy strategies is to use cells from the patient’s own immune system to destroy tumor cells. CAR T cell therapy is an effective immunotherapy for the treatment of blood cancer. Around 35,000 people are affected by blood cancer in France every year, with 1.24 million cases worldwide. By closely studying some of the immune cells generated during this therapy, known as CD4 T cells, scientists have discovered that these cells are able to neutralize tumor cells at a distance by producing interferon gamma (IFN-γ). To reveal the novel mechanism of action of these remote killer cells, scientists first explored preclinical models to analyze the mechanism in detail, notably using in vivo imaging techniques, and then verified the relevance of the results on patient samples. This study raises new hopes for blood cancer patients with an incomplete response to CAR T cell therapy, and for IFN-γ-sensitive cancers.
