Dendritic Cells

Fighting cancer is not a ‘one treatment solves all system; treatment includes synthesizing various components designed to combat cancer cells, boost the immune system, and increase the body’s overall strength. One factor that must be highly prioritized when developing a cancer treatment plan is the immune system. The immune system protects the body against illness and infection. While cancer can reduce the strength of the immune system, it is important to take as many steps as possible to build it back up because some immune system cells can recognize cancer cells as abnormal and destroy them. These cells are known as dendritic cells (DC). DC therapy is a cancer treatment that integrates the healing and fighting elements of the immune system to increase overall health while simultaneously fighting cancer cells.

DCs are a fundamental aspect of the immune system. Specifically, DCs are a type of antigen-presenting cell (APC). These cells play an important role in the adaptive aspect of the immune system. Most importantly, dendritic cells have a unique and effective function in fighting cancer. They have the ability to induce a primary immune response in inactive or resting naïve T lymphocytes. Dendritic cells capture antigens from invading bodies, process them, and then present them on the cell surface, along with the necessary accessory or co-stimulation molecules. In simpler terms, the human immune system is very powerful and complex: it is an ‘army’ with many divisions and different kinds of weapons. Dendritic cells are the ‘general’ of this immune system ‘army.’ They deliver the ‘marching orders’ to the rest of the immune system agents, telling those agents what to attack.

Activation of Lymphocytes

DCs are crucial in initiating and regulating innate and adaptive immune responses against cancer. By infiltrating tumors and processing and presenting tumor-derived antigens to T cells, they create anti-tumor T cell immunity, making them a major therapeutic target for cancer immunotherapy. Various strategies have been developed to improve cancer immunotherapy by targeting DCs in cancer, such as administering antigens with immunomodulators that mobilize and activate endogenous DCs. Understanding DC subsets and how the tumor microenvironment shapes them has improved cancer therapies.

According to an article titled "Clinical Use of Dendritic Cells for Cancer Therapy," DCs have been used in cancer therapy since the mid-1990s. This therapy "is safe and can induce anti-tumor immunity, even in patients with advanced disease." This therapy targets the immune system, working with its built-in components, the dendritic cells, to strengthen the system overall.

Dendritic cell therapy is not a stand-alone treatment, but rather, it functions optimally when synthesized with other treatments that fight cancer cells.

The significance of dendritic cells (DC) is illustrated below courtesy of Northwest Bio Therapeutics.