12. The Immune Response: How NPC Dodges the Body’s Defenses
Though you might think of your immune system as a finely-tuned defense network, nasopharyngeal carcinoma has found a way to slip past it. This isn’t due to an oversight on your body’s part but rather because of how cleverly disguised NPC cells can be.
NPC cells employ a strategy akin to a Trojan Horse, often evading detection by wearing a ‘cloak’ of proteins that the immune system recognizes as friendly. They’re the wolves in sheep’s clothing of the cellular world, so to speak. This behavior allows NPC to grow unchecked for quite a while.
Interestingly, the escape artistry of NPC doesn’t stop at disguise. Some NPC cells can even send ‘misinformation’ to immune cells like T-lymphocytes, telling them everything is fine and dandy, which dampens any potential attack. Yes, these cancerous cells have learned to lie. (12)
