In their new study, published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, the scientists found that when SARS-CoV-2 — the virus that causes COVID-19 — infects the body, its genetic material (RNA) activates signals that transform ordinary white blood cells into cells that can fight cancer.

These unique immune cells, called inducible nonclassical monocytes (I-NCMs), could explain the reported regression of certain cancers following COVID-19 infection.

“This discovery opens up a new avenue for cancer treatment,” says Ankit Bharat, MD, chief of thoracic surgery and director of the Canning Thoracic Institute. “We found that the same cells activated by severe COVID-19 could be induced with a drug to fight cancer, and we specifically saw a response with melanoma, lung, breast and colon cancer in the study.”

How These Special Cells Work

In our normal immune system, cells called non-classical monocytes act like security guards in the bloodstream. While they can patrol blood vessels looking for threats, they're limited. They can't actually enter the tumor site because they're missing the special receptors needed to get inside.

I-NCMs work differently. These special cells have a receptor called CCR2 that allows them to leave blood vessels and enter tumors directly. Then they can send signals that attract the body's natural killer cells, which swarm in and attack the cancer cells, helping to shrink the tumor.

“While this is still in the early stages and the effectiveness was only studied in preclinical animal models, it offers hope that we might be able to use this approach to benefit patients with advanced cancers that have not responded to other treatments,” says Dr. Bharat.

The Path Forward

“The potential to transform cancer treatment is there,” says Dr. Bharat. “Our next steps will involve clinical trials to see if we can safely and effectively use these findings to help cancer patients.”

The team hopes that, with further research, they can develop therapies that specifically target these cells to treat cancers that are currently difficult to manage. This could lead to new treatment options for patients who have exhausted all other possibilities.

Impact on Advanced Lung Cancer Treatment

The research could potentially play an important role with the Canning Thoracic Institute’s Double Lung Replacement and Multidisciplinary Care (DREAM) Program, a first-of-its-kind clinical initiative at Northwestern Medicine that provides double-lung transplants to select patients with advanced lung cancers who are not responding to conventional treatments.

“While the program has been highly successful, we do anticipate that some patients might have recurrence,” says Dr. Bharat. “Since we’re using monocytes with our research, we could potentially treat DREAM patients without risking rejection of their new lungs.”

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