20 Facts You Should Know About Immunotherapy Treatment

FACT #6:B cells can create trillions of unique antibodies that provide precision targeting.

Unlike T cells that directly attack cancer cells, B cells use a different strategy. They produce molecules called antibodies, which can bind to tumor antigens. These antibodies bind powerfully, disrupting vital growth signaling pathways and marking cancer cells for destruction by other immune cells.

B cells have a unique feature called RAGs (recombination-activating genes) that enables them to rearrange antibody components, creating an astounding diversity of over one trillion distinct antibodies. However, abnormal RAG activity can lead to cancer-promoting mutations in B cells, contributing to lymphoma development.

Beyond B cells, scientists, with the help of Jeffrey V. Ravetch, MD, PhD, can now produce customized synthetic antibodies for cancer immunotherapy. Over a dozen of these antibodies have gained FDA approval for various cancer types, like anti-CD20 antibodies for leukemia and lymphoma and anti-HER2 antibodies for breast cancer.