Traces of ancient viruses in DNA of humans could help fight cancer: Study

A study has found that remnants of million-year-old viruses passed down in humans, could have been hiding inside DNA, and might help the body fight cancers. Scientists believe that the findings could be useful to treat more people to survive lung cancer.

A group of scientists were studying lung cancer and analysing why some patients respond better than others to immunotherapy.

Lung cancer is a type of cancer which begins in the lungs and spreads to other organs. It is common cancer, caused by harmful cells in lungs and growsunchecked.

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While the scientists at the Francis Crick Institute were studying lung cancer and related immunotherapy, they found that the dormant remnants become active when cancerous cells go out of control and then help the immune system target and attack the tumour.

Julian Downward, who is the associate research director and head of the oncogene biology laboratory at the institute, said: "This work opens up a number of new opportunities for improving patient responses to immunotherapy, a crucial step in helping more people survive lung cancer."

The study titled "Antibodies against endogenous retroviruses promote lung cancer immunotherapy" was published in the journal Nature this week.

A part of the story mentioned that anti-tumour antibodies are frequently induced in multiple cancer types, targeting both internal and tumour cell-surface antigens.

And these tumour-associated antigens (TAAs) include non-mutated differentiation antigens and shared tumour antigens, as well as antigens derived from endogenous retroviruses (ERVs)

Downward said: "We now know that areas of B cell expansion can help us predict a positive response to checkpoint inhibition. With more research, we could work to boost B cell activity in a targeted way for the patients less likely to respond."

Meanwhile, as quoted by media outlets, Dr Claire Bromley, who is from the charity, said that for better understanding and any practical approach, more research was needed. But Bromley added: "Nevertheless, this study adds to the growing body of research that could one day see this innovative approach to cancer treatment become a reality."

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