Cohort studyindependent cross-checkabstract checked I-CAN-120 standard review
Immune cells inside bowel tumours predict survival
Type, density, and location of immune cells within human colorectal tumors predict clinical outcome.
Overview
Galon J et al.. Science 2006 · PMID 17008531 · DOI 10.1126/science.1129139
Patients whose tumours contained more of certain immune cells survived longer.
Does the study support the specific claim? No · Methodological quality: moderate
Plain-language summary
Study explained simply
- What did the researchers want to find out?
Link tumour immune cells and survival.
- How was the study done?
Cohorts with validation.
- How many people, animals or samples were studied?
Colorectal cancer patients.
- What was actually found?
Immune data predicted survival better than staging.
- How large was the observed effect?
Not given in abstract.
- What do the results mean in everyday life?
The body's immune system fights cancer to some degree.
- What are the study's limitations?
Association.
- What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?
Contradicts the claim.
- Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?
High.
- What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?
Causation alone.
Scientific in-depth review
1. Full reference
- Authors
- Galon J et al.
- Journal
- Science
- Year
- 2006
- Identifier
- PMID 17008531 DOI 10.1126/science.1129139
- Verification
- verified – PubMed efetch 2026-10-26 + Crossref
- Retracted
- no
- Corrections
- none
- Extent checked
- abstract only
- Conflicts of interest and funding
not stated in abstract
2. Research question
Does the adaptive immune response in colorectal tumours predict outcome?
3. Study design and population
- Study design
- Cohort study – Cohort studies of tumour-infiltrating immune cells with validation cohorts
- Population
Patients with colorectal cancer (large cohorts plus two validation populations)
- Country
France
- Period
Published 2006
- Sample size
not stated in abstract
- Inclusion and exclusion criteria
not stated
4. Methods and endpoints
- Exposure / intervention
Type, density and location of tumour-infiltrating immune cells
- Comparator
Histopathological staging
- Endpoints
Survival, recurrence
- Statistical methods
Gene expression and immunohistochemistry; survival analysis
5. Actual results
- Results
Immunological data were a better predictor of patient survival than current histopathological staging; validated in two additional patient populations.
- Absolute risks
not reported
- Authors' conclusion
The adaptive immune response influences the behaviour of human tumours.
6. Strengths
- Validation cohorts
- Later replicated (Immunoscore)
7. Weaknesses
- Prognostic association, not intervention
8. Risk of bias
- Orienting tool
- ROBINS-E
- Type of assessment
- simplified assessment (abstract only)
- Full formal assessment
- no
- Overall risk of bias
- some concerns
- Rationale
Prognostic study.
9. Assessment of the statistical interpretation
No effect sizes in abstract.
10. Relevance to the specific claim
Human tumours are infiltrated by immune cells, and stronger infiltration predicts survival - the immune system does respond to cancer.
11. Independent contrary findings
12. Transferability to Germany and Europe
High.
13. Overall methodological judgement
Direct human evidence against 'no immune response to cancer'.
| Multidimensional assessment | |
|---|---|
| Authenticity of the source | verified |
| Methodological quality | moderate |
| Risk of bias | some concerns |
| Precision of results | not applicable |
| Directness | direct |
| Reproducibility | replicated |
| Consistency with the overall evidence | consistent |
| Regional transferability | high |
| Adequacy of the interpretation (by the archive) | not applicable |
14. Open questions
15. Linked fact checks
- The immune system does not fight cancer (no antibodies form against it), which shows the body accepts the tumour; therefore attacking it with chemotherapy is wrong. – Studies contradicting or limiting the claim