T Cells a Boon for Colon Cancer Prognosis

Patients with early-stage colorectal cancer have an upbeat prognosis, and many don't even receive chemotherapy. But 30% will relapse, challenging the tenet that grape-sized tumors that haven't spread aren't an undue cause for concern. Reaching back to a theory proposed in the late 19th century, a team of French scientists now says that in that 30%, recurrence may have little to do with the tumor itself. Rather, poor prognosis could stem from a lackluster immune reaction to cancer.