The immune system is composed of billions of cells that take the role of providing defensive response to foreign bodies and disease. Specialized lymphocyte cells, including B cells, T cells, and natural killer cells, all contribute to the crucial function of fighting infection. Leukemia is a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow. In the case of this fatal disease, white blood cells that originate in the bone marrow do not mature properly. Due to this abnormality, infection cannot be attacked the way a healthy immune system can fight it. A new cancer treatment has surfaced in the medical community that has given hope for many blood cancer patients. CAR T-cell therapy is an immunotherapy that engineers cells in weakened immune systems by way of medical treatment for some cancers through FDA-approved clinical trials.
So, how exactly does this promising treatment work? CAR T-cell therapy uses the body’s own immune system to tackle the cancer, as opposed to the chemotherapy process, which uses drugs throughout the body to kill spreading cancer cells. That’s right! The body itself fights the cancer. A patient who undergoes this unique treatment has their physician withdraw T cells from their blood. Then, the collected blood is taken to a laboratory, under controlled conditions, to attach chimeric antigen receptors to the surface of the cell. Once the reengineering process is complete, the modified blood sample is re-infused back into the patient’s blood via IV. The adjusted cells now have the daunting task to recognize, find cancer cells in the body, and kill them. Dr. Sattva Neelapu, Professor at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center said, “This is a major breakthrough… its offering hope to people who’d previously been given only about six months to live.” Dr. Neelapu stated that, this method of treatment is moving towards making CAR T-cell therapy a first or second line treatment, for patients with adult B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia, who have not benefited from two other treatments.
Unfortunately, there are side effects with this type of immunotherapy. About 70-90% of patients who are treated with CAR T-cell therapy experience a cytokine storm, which produces flu-like symptoms. However, patients who are participating in this clinical trial have more to gain than not possibly benefiting from this treatment.
The future of CAR T-cell therapy could possibly lead to more medical advancements to improve the quality and outcomes of cancer treatments. This innovative treatment has the potential to increase remission rates and treat other forms cancer. For more information on how to support or donate to causes like Leukemia and Lymphoma, click and feel free to share the link below with others: https://bit.ly/2Ok7b45
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