The related research work was partially funded by Cancer Research UK. It turns out that most of these viruses, called endogenous retroviruses, are dormant in humans but can become active in cancerous tissues.
By examining lung cancer tissue in mice and human tissue, the scientists found that when these cells are activated, they can elicit an immune response from B cells, which are white blood cells that produce disease-fighting antibodies.
When ancient endogenous retroviruses are activated at cancerous sites, our body creates a biological response to fight the cancer. Professor George Cassiotis, head of the Crick Retroviral Immunology Laboratory, says the discovery brings scientists closer to developing more effective treatments for lung cancer.
Note that this type of cancer is the second most common in men and women in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society. About 238,340 new cases of the disease and 127,070 deaths are predicted to occur in 2023 alone.
Source: Ferra
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