Some cells excite the immune system. Others soothe it. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are one type of soothing cell, and previous work shows that cancer may specifically boost production of MDSCs as a way to tamp down immune response against tumors. At least that's how it works in mice. Now a University of Colorado Cancer Center study published in the journal Cancer Immunology & Immunotherapy for the first time characterizes the uptick of these cells in the spleens of human cancer patients, paving the way for therapies directed against these suppressor cells that collude with cancer.
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