Researchers develop renewable cancer-fighting immune cells
A US study describes a possible new source for cell therapy, but the results have so far only been tested in mice.
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Researchers at the University of Southern California say they have genetically modified immune-system progenitor cells so that they can recognise and fight tumours. In mice, the cells slowed the growth of blood cancers and some solid tumours.
The study was published on 16 October in the scientific journal Cell. The researchers focused on granulocyte–monocyte progenitors, precursor cells that normally develop into macrophages and other immune cells.
In the laboratory, the progenitor cells were able to multiply for a prolonged period without fully losing their original properties. They were then given a synthetic receptor capable of recognising specific characteristics of cancer cells.
According to the researchers, the modified cells established themselves in mice, including in the bone marrow, where they continued to produce new immune cells. According to the researchers and the study description, the treatment slowed the development of both certain blood cancers and solid tumours in the experiments.
In time, the approach could help reduce a practical problem in cell therapy: according to the researchers, treatments are now often made for individual patients using a limited quantity of cells. A stock of progenitor cells that could be grown and modified in advance might make production in larger quantities possible.
The researchers also tested an additional immune signal intended to activate other immune cells. According to the reports, the combination also worked in the mouse experiments when the immune characteristics of donor and recipient did not fully match. That points to a possible use as an off-the-shelf treatment, but does not yet prove it.
The results are preclinical. It has not yet been established whether the cells are safe and effective in humans, how long the effect lasts or which types of cancer the approach might be useful against. Further research, safety assessments and clinical trials are needed before it can be used in healthcare.
The results therefore currently have scientific significance only: researchers have described a new way to produce immune cells over a prolonged period and modify them in a targeted manner. The research is not an available treatment and does not yet provide evidence of an alternative to existing therapies in humans.
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Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The central claims were confirmed by two public sources and clearly described as preclinical research. The text does not make the leap from results in mice to a proven treatment in humans.
- confirmed The study was published in Cell on 16 October 2026. — Mentioned in reports by ScienceDaily and SciBeat. source
- confirmed The researchers used granulocyte–monocyte progenitors and were able to multiply them over a prolonged period. — Description of the research method in ScienceDaily. source
- confirmed The modified cells slowed blood cancers and solid tumours in mice. — This outcome is mentioned by both sources consulted. source
- confirmed The approach is not yet a proven treatment for humans. — SciBeat explicitly states that all the results are preclinical; both sources describe experiments in mice. source
Editor's note
It is certain that the study was conducted on progenitor cells and that the modified cells slowed tumour growth in mice. It remains uncertain whether the approach is safe and effective in humans; clinical data are lacking.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- NRC — „kanker immunotherapie”
- NU.nl — „kanker immunotherapie”
- De Telegraaf — „kanker immunotherapie”