An experimental research, an immunotherapy tested on two patients in 2010, led to more than interesting results.
The world of blood cancer research needs good news and positive results. The information that has recently arrived seems to be in favor of doctors and their studies.
Ten years of health
In 2010, two blood cancer patients received experimental treatment. Fortunately, their cancer went into remission after this immunotherapy. Today, more than ten years after the immunotherapy session, the immune cells which defend the body from cancer are still present in the body. This means that the treatment actually has a “long-lasting” effect, and that it is functional.
One of the two patients, the Californian Doug Olsen, spoke in an interview about the sensations he felt at the beginning of the experimentation.
From the patient's perspective, when you're told you're basically out of options, the important thing is to always maintain hope. And certainly, I hoped it would work.
As proven time and time again, hope and trust can really make a difference.
The immunotherapy that saved two patients
The two patients underwent a treatment known as CAR-T cell therapy.
Put simply, the therapy harnesses patients' genetically modified immune cells to track down and kill cancer cells.
The "fighting cells" are called CAR-T cells, and now we know for sure that they can cure leukemia patients. Immunologist and study co-author Carl June of the University of Pennsylvania confirmed this just recently.
Both participants responded well to the initial treatment, but the doctors were unsure of the immune cell resistance time.
Since the two patients have remained cancer-free for more than a decade, the tested therapy can be considered “optimal”.
Unfortunately, immunotherapy doesn't work for everyone. Some people do not respond to treatment, and others may develop dangerous side effects.
The task of modern researchers is to understand the mechanism underlying the functioning of cells, so as to understand when to intervene and when to test a new solution.
