Scientists discover cancer cells shoot 'tiny weapons' to ward off incoming immune cells

Cancer cells.
(Image credit: iStock)

Scientists may have figured out just what makes cancer cells so strong.

Immune cells may not even have a chance of attacking a tumor before they're warded off, a University of Pennsylvania study published Wednesday in Nature reveals. That's because cancer cells shoot off "tiny weapons" that attack immune cells before they can get close enough to fight, Stat explained Thursday.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
Explore More
Kathryn Krawczyk

Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.