VUB researchers shed light on an obstacle to cancer immunotherapy

Immunotherapy has radically transformed the treatment of cancer in recent years. However, it does not work equally well for every patient. Researchers at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel explain that a relatively little-studied biological process may play a key role in this: the ageing of immune cells, also known as T-cell senescence. Their literature review was published on 3 September in the leading scientific journal *Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy*.

The study analyses decades of research into two forms of T-cell dysfunction: T-cell exhaustion and T-cell ageing. T-cells are crucial soldiers of the immune system that recognise and destroy abnormal or malignant cells. However, when they are under prolonged pressure – for example, due to cancer – they can lose their effectiveness.

According to the researchers, T-cell exhaustion is currently receiving a great deal of attention in the development of new immunotherapies. T-cell senescence, by contrast, remains relatively underexplored, although there is growing evidence to suggest that this process too can significantly limit the success of treatments. Ageing T cells divide less efficiently, respond less vigorously to tumours and can therefore reduce the effectiveness of advanced therapies.

This is relevant for treatments such as CAR-T-cell therapy and other personalised immunotherapies, where the quality of the immune cells used directly determines how well a treatment works. The authors therefore call for further research into strategies that can prevent, reverse or circumvent T-cell senescence.

Lauren van den Broecke: “Much research today focuses on T-cell exhaustion. We are bringing together all the available evidence showing that T-cell senescence can also be an important therapeutic target for making future immunotherapies more effective.”

The publication was led by researchers from the Translational Oncology Research Centre (TORC) research group at VUB and UZ Brussel. PhD student Lauren van den Broucke authored this literature review, under the supervision of Professor Eline Menu and Professor Elke De Bruyne. Co-authors are Arne Van Der Vreken, Fenja Watté, Fien Meeus, Kim De Veirman and Karine Breckpot

What is TORC?

TORC is the Translational Oncology Research Centre at the VUB. The research group brings together fundamental and clinical cancer research. Scientists and doctors work there on new ways to detect cancer more quickly, treat it more effectively and improve patients’ quality of life. A key area of research focuses on immunotherapy, which harnesses the body’s own immune system to fight cancer. TORC’s research includes CAR-T cell therapies, mRNA-based immunotherapies and new strategies to overcome resistance to treatment.

How important is this journal?

The study appears in *Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy*, an international peer-reviewed open-access journal published by Nature Portfolio. The journal has an impact factor of 81.2, an exceptionally high score within the biomedical sciences. It ranks among the very best in the world in fields such as cancer research, molecular medicine and translational therapies.

Link to the research: DOI: 10.1038/s41392-026-02923-x

Further information:
Eline Menu
[email protected]
Telephone number available via the press office