In a groundbreaking study, researchers have discovered how the body’s immune system naturally targets and attacks cancer cells, potentially paving the way for new and less invasive cancer treatments.

The findings, published in Science Advances, show that the immune system’s natural killer cells innately recognise and attack a protein called XPO1, which is known to promote cancer growth.

The international team of scientists, led by Professor Salim Khakoo from the University of Southampton, found that a peptide derived from the XPO1 protein attracts natural killer cells, activating the body’s immune response against cancer cells.

This discovery challenges the long-standing belief that killer cells attack cancer cells randomly.

“Our findings actually show how our body’s immune system recognises and attacks these cancer cells,” said Professor Khakoo. “Killer cells are an emerging form of immunotherapy that is very promising. They don’t attack healthy tissue in the way that chemotherapy and other immunotherapies do, so they are safer and have fewer side effects than conventional cancer treatments.”

The study also found that cancer patients who had both active killer cells and high levels of XPO1 had significantly better survival rates. This correlation held true for a variety of cancers, including liver cancer, which typically has a poor prognosis.

Co-author of the study, Professor Ralf Schittenhelm of Monash University, emphasised the potential impact of this discovery on immunotherapy.

“We hope this will make personalised cancer treatment possible, especially in cases where conventional treatments have failed. The potential to develop targeted treatments using the body’s own immune system is incredibly exciting”.

Based on these findings, the Southampton scientific team is now working on developing the world’s first vaccine that uses natural killer cells to fight cancer.

This approach could revolutionise cancer treatment by harnessing the body’s natural immunity more effectively and with fewer side effects than current treatments.

As research progresses, this breakthrough could lead to new immunotherapy treatments for a variety of cancers, including head and neck, endometrial, bladder and breast cancers.

The prospect of less invasive and more targeted cancer treatments offers new hope for patients and is an important step forward in the field of oncology.