Overview
- Sakaguchi, a 2025 Nobel laureate and Osaka University special professor, outlined his view in a Nov. 4 on-campus dialogue in Suita with Shinsuke Amano, head of a national cancer patient association.
- He argued that most cancer deaths stem from metastasis and said suppressing spread and relapse through immune control is the most effective approach, ideally initiated at the time of detection.
- Using measles as an example, he explained that the body’s stored immune memory could, in principle, be directed against cancer cells to help prevent recurrence or secondary tumors.
- The conversation was organized by Kyodo News as a public forum featuring patient experience, and it did not announce new clinical trials, therapies, or policy actions.
- Discussing regulatory T cell research, he projected that future applications, combined with existing immunotherapies, could enable treatment for roughly 60% of patients.