Gamma Delta T Cells Identified as Key to Defeating Small Cell Lung Cancer
Researchers at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) have identified gamma delta T cells as a previously overlooked immune defense against small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Published in Cancer Cell, the study shows these cells can detect and destroy SCLC tumors that evade conventional immune surveillance. Laboratory tests using patient-derived mini-tumors demonstrated that combining gamma delta T cells with existing drugs, tarlatamab and zoledronate, significantly enhances cancer cell destruction. The findings suggest new strategies for improving immunotherapy outcomes in a disease where fewer than 7% of patients survive five years.