Your autoantibodies may enhance cancer treatment

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A study published in the journal Nature reveals that some cancer patients can produce their “own companion drug” in the form of natural autoantibodies that enhance their response to immunotherapy. Once regarded solely as harmful drivers of autoimmune disease, these antibodies are now being recognized for their potential as powerful, built-in cancer treatments. The finding could lead to personalized therapies that leverage the body’s own immune system to more effectively combat tumors.

Source

Dai, Y., Aizenbud, L., Qin, K. et al. Humoral determinants of checkpoint immunotherapy. Nature 644, 527–536 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09188-4

Additional Reading

https://www.fredhutch.org/en/news/releases/2025/07/patient-antibodies-may-hold-key-to-boost-cancer-immunotherapy-response.html

https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/new-insights-into-why-immunotherapy-works-for-some-patients-with-cancer-not-others/

https://ecancer.org/en/news/26810-powering-up-t-cells-a-new-path-in-cancer-immunotherapy