In recent years, the medical industry has seen many advancements in the area of cancer treatments. As the number of cancer diagnoses around the globe continues to rise, so too does our need for better treatments. Recently, scientists are reporting promising results from clinical trials for a new breakthrough cancer treatment.
What Is the Breakthrough Cancer Treatment?
The breakthrough cancer treatment is known as CAR T-cell therapy. It is a type of immunotherapy that uses the patient’s own immune system to fight cancer. It works by extracting a patient’s white blood cells, genetically engineering them into an army of cancer-fighting cells, and then infusing them back into the body. The engineered cells then act like an immune system super-soldier, attacking and eliminating cancer cells wherever they are found.
How Does This Breakthrough Cancer Treatment Work?
CAR T-cell therapy works by reprogramming a person’s immune cells to target and destroy cancer cells. This revolutionary process begins by extracting a patient’s T-cells, which are a type of immune cell. Once these cells are extracted, they are sent to a lab where they are recombined with a gene that programs them specifically to recognize and attack cancer cells. This gene is known as a chimeric antigen receptor, or CAR. When these cells are reintroduced into the body, they seek out and eliminate cancer cells.
The Benefits of This Breakthrough Cancer Treatment
The benefits of this breakthrough cancer treatment are numerous. Here are some of the most notable advantages:
• It is non-invasive: Compared to other treatments like chemotherapy or radiation, this treatment is incredibly non-invasive. It does not involve the use of strong drugs or radiation, instead relying on a natural process to eliminate cancer cells.
• It is highly targeted: Because the treatment only targets cancer cells, it is much more effective and has fewer side effects than traditional treatments.
• It is long-lasting: CAR T-cell therapy provides long-term protection, as the engineered cells can remain in the body for weeks, months, or even years, providing ongoing protection from cancer.
• It is effective: Numerous clinical studies have demonstrated that CAR T-cell therapy is an effective treatment for a variety of cancers, including leukemia, lymphoma, and melanoma.
Promising Results from Clinical Trials
CAR T-cell therapy is still a relatively new treatment, but numerous clinical studies have found promising results. Here are a few of the most noteworthy examples:
• A 2017 clinical trial conducted at the University of Pennsylvania found that a majority of patients with advanced lymphoma experienced complete remission of their cancer after receiving CAR T-cell therapy.
• A 2018 clinical trial conducted at the National Cancer Institute found that over 90% of patients with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia experienced complete remission of their cancer after receiving CAR T-cell therapy.
• A 2019 clinical trial conducted at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute found that the majority of patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma responding to the treatment.
These results demonstrate that CAR T-cell therapy has potential to be a revolutionary new cancer treatment.
What Does This Mean for the Future of Cancer Treatment?
This breakthrough cancer treatment has the potential to drastically improve the lives of those affected by cancer. Unlike traditional treatments that seek to simply treat the symptoms of cancer, CAR T-cell therapy actually seeks to eliminate the disease from the body. This is major step forward in the fight against cancer and could lead to more effective treatments in the future.
CAR T-cell therapy shows great promise as a breakthrough cancer treatment. Clinical studies have found that it has the potential to completely remission of various types of cancer, providing a powerful and effective treatment. What’s more, it is relatively non-invasive and has fewer side effects than traditional treatments. This breakthrough cancer treatment could pave the way for future advancements in the fight against cancer.
