Maximising cancer therapy efficacy with dendritic cell approaches

Oncology centres in developed countries already offer dendritic cell therapy, either to treat advanced cancer patients or as adjuvant therapy post-surgery to mitigate tumor recurrence risks. The dendritic cell therapy cost also makes it a suitable addition to the conventional therapeutic protocol.

Understanding cancer treatment with dendritic cells

Dendritic cells (DCs), a subset of immune cells, play a pivotal role in immune surveillance, acting as sentinels against invading pathogens and aberrant cells. While they do not directly attack tumors, their primary function involves capturing antigens from foreign cells, such as cancer or bacterial ones, and presenting them to T-cells, initiating an adaptive immune response.

In cancer, the decreased activity of DCs contributes to immune evasion by tumours, allowing them to proliferate unchecked. However, dendritic cell therapy offers a targeted solution to this deficiency, bolstering the immune system's ability to recognise and eradicate cancerous cells, potentially leading to more effective treatment outcomes.

Principles of dendritic cell therapy

DC therapy refers to immunotherapy, focusing on enhancing the body's immune response against cancer. Unlike conventional treatments that target cancer cells directly, immunotherapeutic approaches bolster the patient's immune system.

DCs are ‘educated’ in the laboratory to recognize specific tumor-associated antigens before being reintroduced into the patient's body. This process involves:

1. Isolating monocytes from the patient's blood
2. Differentiating monocytes into DCs in laboratory settings
3. Training DCs to identify tumor-specific molecules
4. Administering trained DCs back into the patient, typically via subcutaneous injection
5. Within the lymphatic system, DCs interact with T-cells, imparting information about tumor antigens
6. Activated T-cells then target and eliminate cancer cells, prompting further immune responses as additional antigens are released into circulation

How dendritic cell treatment is carried out

There's no standardised approach to dendritic cell-based cancer treatment, as methodologies vary among oncology clinics. However, the vaccine is custom-made for each patient using their own blood cells, ideally incorporating antigens derived from the patient's tumour tissue.

After blood collection, it takes one to three weeks to produce the personalised vaccine, which is subsequently administered subcutaneously or intramuscularly. While mild flu-like symptoms may arise post-injection, severe toxic reactions are uncommon and generally indicate immune activation.

Dendritic cell therapy typically complements other cancer treatments such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, oncolytic viruses, and conventional therapies like chemotherapy.

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