NY-ESO-1

NY-ESO-1 is a protein found on the surface of certain cancer cells, including some types of melanoma and lung cancer. It belongs to a group called cancer-testis antigens, which are usually present only in reproductive tissues but become abnormally active in some tumors. Because of its limited presence in normal tissues, NY-ESO-1 is an attractive target for cancer immunotherapy—treatments that harness the immune system to attack cancer. Researchers are developing vaccines, T-cell therapies, and other approaches aimed at training the immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells expressing NY-ESO-1.