"Two-Faced" Cells Discovered in Colon Cancer, Northwestern University Study

Northwestern Medicine researchers have discovered a "two-faced" group of cells at work in human colon cancer, with opposing functions that can suppress or promote tumor growth. These cells are a subset of T-regulatory (Treg) cells, known to suppress immune responses in healthy individuals. In this previously unknown Treg subset, the presence of the protein ROR?t has been shown to differentiate between cancer-protecting and cancer-promoting properties.