Confused T Cells Protect Tumor Cells in Head and Neck Cancers

New research has discovered that a group of t cells, crucial to immune system function, can become confused, and instead of protecting immune function, they switch to supporting tumor cells. Conducted at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, scientists found large numbers of these malfunctioning t cells in tumors of the head and neck but not in inflamed gingiva. Armed with this new knowledge, researchers hope to develop a targeted approach to flipping the switch on these t cells so they return to their original function of supporting the immune system. The study was published in the journal, Nature. Click here to read more.