Cancer researchers claim 'extraordinary results' using T-cell therapy

Scientists are claiming “extraordinary” success with engineering immune cells to target a specific type of blood cancer in their first clinical trials.

In one study, 94% of participants with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) saw symptoms vanish completely.

To administer the T-cell therapy, doctors remove immune cells from patients, tagging them with “receptor” molecules that target a specific cancer, as other T-cells target the flu or infections. They then infuse the cells back in the body.

“These are in patients that have failed everything. Most of the patients in our trial would be projected to have two to five months to live.”

“T-cells are a living drug, and in particular they have the potential to persist in our body for our whole lives.”

in another study researchers had tracked the presence of “memory” T-cells for two to 14 years after they had been introduced into cancer patients

Source

Another potential step forward in the fight against cancer, and very promising considering that 94% of patients in one study had their symptoms vanish. More work needs to be done however, as the therapy killed two.

a reply to: trollz
Thank you! Will be passing this along, my friends sister recently learned she has leukemia and as both our mothers our friends I will be sure this information is passed along. Though it is too bad this is still merely research.

EDIT: S&F despite your arrogance. Will make a thread after courses tomorrow asking questions.

isn't that how "I am legend" started? A miracel cancer cure?

I guess this therapy will only work on patients with t-cell ALL who are a sub-case of ALL with about 25% of all ALL-patients.

I am always happy to read about a "true" therapy, which are usually easily detectable by claming that they can cure "only" a small part of all cancer types. Which is critical, as there are so many types of cancer, even in the ALL (other types of leukemia are AML, MPN, CML, MDS, etc.).

No single medicine will ever cure every type of cancer.

I'll hold fire on this until the full study & data are published.
My spider sense tingles when stuff like this is announced before publication.

originally posted by: trollz

Scientists are claiming “extraordinary” success with engineering immune cells to target a specific type of blood cancer in their first clinical trials.

In one study, 94% of participants with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) saw symptoms vanish completely.

To administer the T-cell therapy, doctors remove immune cells from patients, tagging them with “receptor” molecules that target a specific cancer, as other T-cells target the flu or infections. They then infuse the cells back in the body.

“These are in patients that have failed everything. Most of the patients in our trial would be projected to have two to five months to live.”

“T-cells are a living drug, and in particular they have the potential to persist in our body for our whole lives.”

in another study researchers had tracked the presence of “memory” T-cells for two to 14 years after they had been introduced into cancer patients

Source

Another potential step forward in the fight against cancer, and very promising considering that 94% of patients in one study had their symptoms vanish. More work needs to be done however, as the therapy killed two.

It doesn't say anywhere in the article that the therapy killed anyone.
The only thing you can deduce from the scant data is that the therapy didn't work on two (bear in mind that the participants were all end-stage cancers where previous treatment had failed).

a reply to: Pardon?

I did hear on Radio 4 yesterday that two people died as a result of the therapy.

originally posted by: and14263
a reply to: Pardon?

I did hear on Radio 4 yesterday that two people died as a result of the therapy.

Yep, I've just read that two people died due to side effects so ignore my previous post.

a reply to: Pardon?
Any idea of a general time.

originally posted by: whismermill
isn't that how "I am legend" started? A miracel cancer cure?

Actually I think it started with someone wanting to sell a book to make money.

Think of this as CAR-T 2.0 www.cancer.gov... www.fiercebiotech.com...

There is a long way to go www.nature.com... But it could revolutionize treatment for all non solid cancers (i.e., lymphomas, leukemias, myelomas, etc).

However in the mean time adding other drugs and/or cell based therapies could help as well www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov... www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov... www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov... ash.confex.com...

originally posted by: Tiamat384
a reply to: Pardon?
Any idea of a general time.

This is in a number of Phase I & II studies. Approval could come by 2017/18 for some types