Study reveals how popular steroids might mess up some cancer treatments

• Glucocorticoids (GCs) are a type of steroid commonly used to regulate the immune response in conditions such as asthma, Crohn’s disease, and COVID-19.
• Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have found that GCs may indirectly lead to some immunotherapy treatment failures by driving the production of a protein called Cystatin C (CyC).

Study reveals how popular steroids might mess up some cancer treatments

• Higher levels of CyC are associated with poorer outcomes of this type of therapy.
• The study analyzed a large genetic dataset from the UK Biobank, including almost 500,000 volunteers, including patients with cancer.
• Patients who were more likely to produce CyC in response to GCs had a worse overall survival rate, and these patients were also less likely to benefit from treatment.
• The researchers confirmed CyC’s connection with cancer by deleting a CyC-producing gene in mice, which resulted in slower tumor growth.
• The findings suggest that CyC production within a tumor may contribute to the failure of cancer immunotherapy, and targeting its function could enhance the success of cancer immunotherapy.
• The study conducted by CSHL researchers sheds light on the potential negative impact of GCs on the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy, which is a type of treatment that harnesses the power of the immune system to fight cancer.
• The findings suggest that GCs may be indirectly promoting cancer growth by driving the production of CyC, which in turn suppresses the immune system’s ability to recognize and attack cancer cells.
• The study’s results highlight the importance of understanding the complex interactions between cancer cells and the immune system in the development of effective cancer treatments.
• The researchers hope that their findings will lead to the development of new strategies for enhancing the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy by targeting the production of CyC or other proteins that may be involved in suppressing the immune response.
• The study also underscores the value of large-scale genetic analyses in identifying potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for cancer and other diseases.

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