Genetics, infiltration and immunity: are natural killer cells the missing link in pancreatic cancer immunotherapy?

Dr Jeanette Boudreau is seeking a new, more effective way to treat pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer is difficult to treat with a 5-year survival rate of less than 10%. New approaches for precise, targeted therapy are urgently needed. With funding from an Atlantic Canada Research Grant, Dr Boudreau will test the effectiveness of a new immunotherapy treatment for pancreatic cancer based on natural killer (NK) cells. NK cells are a type of white blood cell that can survey the body’s tissues for cancerous cells and help control of tumour regrowth. Dr Boudreau’s team is characterizing the different genetic subtypes of pancreatic cancer, so they can predict which type will respond to NK-based immunotherapy. If successful, this work could lead to a new, more effective and affordable pancreatic cancer treatment that could improve outcomes for people with pancreatic cancer. NK-based immunotherapy could also benefit other tumour types.