A study indicates the NOTCH1 gene could help the immune system recognize small cell lung cancer tumors, improving treatment outcomes. Small cell lung cancer accounts for 13 percent of lung cancer cases and has a low five-year survival rate of approximately 7 percent. The disease is difficult to treat due to its ability to evade immune detection. Research showed that patients with high NOTCH1 levels in tumors have improved survival rates with combined chemotherapy and immune checkpoint blockade. Activating NOTCH1 may rejuvenate immune responses against cancer cells showing neuroendocrine features.
"SCLC is designated a recalcitrant disease by the National Cancer Institute because survival rates have barely improved over the last five decades, a consequence of its ability to shapeshift or morph into distinct cell states."
"In the current study, investigators analyzed data from a recent landmark clinical trial and found that patients with high levels of NOTCH1 expression in their tumors lived significantly longer when treated with a combination of chemotherapy and immune checkpoint blockade, a type of immunotherapy."
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