http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/news/News_Releases/2013/03/grupp/
http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/news/News_Releases/2011/08/t-cells/
http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/36994/title/Tumor-Targeting-T-Cells-Engineered/
Genetically Engineered T-Cells Help Fight
Cancer
On August 11, 2013, an article from Nature Biotechnology was released
bearing enthusing news regarding a modern cancer treatment. Cancer, being one
of the deadliest diseases threatening humanity today, does not even have a
certain known cause. Some forms of cancer have various possible causes, while
some forms convey no indications concerning what triggers it. So how can we
possibly formulate a cure? Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania’s Abrahmson Cancer Center and Perelman School of Medicine have an
answer. They’ve discovered a very meaningful use of the already existing artificial
T-cell. A T-cell is a small white blood cell produced by the thymus that
regulates the immune system’s ability to respond to infected or cancerous
cells. Scientists have recently discovered how to assemble these themselves by
means of reprogramming stem cells. Combining the T-cells and the ability to
modify a patient’s own cells, these researchers discovered the capability to
mass-produce an unlimited quantity of cancer-fighting cells that greatly
resemble T-cells. Nature Biotechnology supported
the claims by conducting a mouse model, or simply, an experiment using rodents
as test subjects. The results indicated that the cells could potentially wipe
out lymphoid cell tumors entirely.
The modified cells were soon tested
on humans too. David Porter, MD, verified that he saw “at least a 1000-fold
increase in the number of modified T-cells in each of the patients.” As a result,
“[…] each infused T-cell led to the killing of thousands of tumor cells- and
overall, destroyed at least two pounds of tumor in each patient.”
The blood and bone marrow of one patient in particular was replete with tumor cells before T-cell treatments. After treatment, this 64-year old man showed no signs of his previous leukemia whatsoever, all in less than 30 days.
The blood and bone marrow of one patient in particular was replete with tumor cells before T-cell treatments. After treatment, this 64-year old man showed no signs of his previous leukemia whatsoever, all in less than 30 days.
The medical procedure is also
effective amongst children. It completely eliminated aggressive leukemia in two
girls in Philadelphia. Emily Whitehead, age 7, received the treatment as a form
of experimental therapy, and it worked. All acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells
(ALL), were exterminated by the miraculous cure. The other, a 10-year old, also
had complete response to the same treatment.
Unfortunately,
despite how remarkably easy and advantageous this sounds, there are several
significant drawbacks. One includes the labor and cost. The immunotherapy
requires the extraction, processing, and reintroduction of T-cells in each
patient’s blood. Additionally, there are circumstances that the T-cells would
not even work at all, such as if the patient was suffering from HIV infection.
If this was the situation, the patient would have little to no of their own
T-cells.
Given
these possible setbacks, I believe that the administration of the medical
therapy is worth the cost and unpredictability. It has the astonishing ability
to completely rid patients of several types of cancer, which could potentially
save hundreds of lives. This, overall, makes a positive difference to people
worldwide, and can supply people with the hope they need when fighting cancer.
Chemotherapy can be uncomfortable and everlasting, and treatment with these
medical T-cells are much quicker and more painless.
