How to Mobilize the Immune System to Fight Cancer
Our immune systems are supposed to protect us from attack. Viruses, bacteria and fungi that try to invade can all trip alarm signals that awaken the body’s natural defenses.
Cancer is not an invader, however. A tumor is made of our own cells, although they are growing out of control.
Sparking the Immune System into Action Against Cancer:
So how can the immune system recognize cancer and put up protection against it? Immunologists are coming up with new treatments that can help mobilize the immune system to get cancers under control. Learn how they work, and why they might even work better than surgery, chemotherapy or radiation for certain types of cancers.
This Week’s Guests:
Sharon S. Evans, Ph.D., is a Professor of Oncology in the Department of Immunology at Roswell Park Cancer Institute and former president of the national Society for Thermal Medicine. Her research focuses on the cues that drive immune responses during inflammation or cancer immunotherapy. The photo is of Dr. Evans.
David Kroll, PhD, is a pharmacologist and medical writer in the Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina. He has taught at the University of Colorado, Duke University and North Carolina Central University. He now works on educating the public on matters pharmacological through his blogs.
Jonathan Serody, PhD, holds the Elizabeth Thomas endowed chair for medicine, microbiology and immunology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is the Associate Director for translational sciences in the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center at UNC and runs the leukemia and bone marrow program in the UNC cancer hospital. His laboratory does research on T-cells, B-cells and the responses to tumor vaccines.
Listen to the Podcast:
The podcast of this program will be available the Monday after the broadcast date. The show can be streamed online from this site and podcasts can be downloaded for free for four weeks after the date of broadcast. After that time has passed, digital downloads are available for $2.99. CDs may be purchased at any time after broadcast for $9.99.
The Extended Interview with Dr. Serody and Dr. Kroll:
We talked with Jonathan Serody, PhD, and David Kroll, PhD, for 50 minutes on topics such as Dr. Serody’s research into chimeric antigen receptor T-cells (CAR T) and the possibilities for treating metastatic cancer.
