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Tertiary lymphoid structures harbour stem-like tumour-specific T cells

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Why This Matters

This research highlights the critical role of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) in shaping effective anti-tumor immune responses and predicting patient outcomes in various cancers. Understanding TLS formation and function can lead to improved immunotherapy strategies, offering hope for more personalized and effective cancer treatments. For consumers, these insights could translate into more targeted therapies with better efficacy and fewer side effects in the future.

Key Takeaways

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Khanal, S., Wieland, A. & Gunderson, A. J. Mechanisms of tertiary lymphoid structure formation: cooperation between inflammation and antigenicity. Front. Immunol. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1267654 (2023).

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Peng, Y. et al. Single-cell profiling of tumor-infiltrating TCF1/TCF7+ T cells reveals a T lymphocyte subset associated with tertiary lymphoid structures/organs and a superior prognosis in oral cancer. Oral Oncol. 119, 105348 (2021).

Li, H. et al. Mature tertiary lymphoid structures evoke intra-tumoral T and B cell responses via progenitor exhausted CD4+ T cells in head and neck cancer. Nat. Commun. 16, 4228 (2025).

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