Ash Tewari, MD
In this study, Ash Tewari, MD and additional authors at Mount Sinai suggest re-evaluating the common practice of removing lymph nodes during prostate cancer surgery, as it can be risky and may not provide therapeutic benefits.
Prostate cancer is notoriously difficult to treat, and research shows that lymph nodes play a critical role in activating immune cells, a potential that hasn't been fully utilized in prostate cancer treatment yet.
Some additional points in the paper:
- While pelvic lymph node dissection can improve disease staging, its therapeutic value in prostate cancer management is debated
- Lymph nodes are crucial for antigen recognition and immune system activation. Pre-clinical data indicates that immune checkpoint blockade's success is hindered by the removal of tumor-draining lymph nodes
- The study’s authors suggest that lymph nodes play a vital role in mobilizing adaptive immune cells from the tumor-draining lymph nodes into the tumor micro-environment
- Therefore, they conclude it might be time to reconsider whether lymph nodes are truly foes or friends in managing prostate cancer