oepitopes are abnormal protein pieces that are formed by the cancer cells when there are changes to the normal protein sequence as a result of DNA mutations. Neoepitopes can be displayed on the surface of cancer cells and can then be recognized by the immune system to elicit an immune response. Childhood cancers have fewer mutations than adult cancers, and hence tend to have fewer neoepitopes than adult cancers. However, there are exceptions to this general phenomenon. Our immunotherapy work identifies pediatric tumors where immunogenic neoepitopes exist and can be harnessed to enhance the immune response. For example, in a recent study we found a particular neoepitope that can form in neuroblastoma patients as a result of the mutations in ALK gene.
By studying cancer at a molecular level using data science Treehouse hopes to learn how clinicians can help patients harness the body’s natural defenses to fight cancer.