Scientists Working on 'Personalized Cancer Treatment'!

Scientists are working on a new immune system-centered treatment for patients suffering from cancer types for which there is no cure yet. New hopes are emerging for cancer, which has caused great distress for years due to the lack of a definitive solution.

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The Importance of "T Cells" in Cancer Treatment

The personalized cancer treatment study aims to redesign the immune system to attack the tumor. The experimental study is being conducted with 16 patients. Each of these 16 patients is given a personalized treatment and a specific weak point in their tumors is targeted. The study focuses on T cells in the immune system. These cells are responsible for patrolling the body looking for cell problems. T cells use a protein called a receptor to mark infections and potentially carcinogenic cells. But identifying the site of disease can be difficult for T cells. A virus that enters the body from outside can be easy to identify. But because cancer is a degeneration of our own cells, it is much harder for T cells to detect. This is why the idea behind the research is to increase the level of cancer-marking T cells.

Crispr, or genetic modification technology, is used to replace genetic instructions with new ones. With this technology, specific and precise changes can be made to the DNA in cells. The experimental study involves colon, breast and lung cancer patients who have not responded to other treatments. In 11 of the 16 patients, the disease progressed, while in the remaining 5, it flatlined. The study is also testing the safety and feasibility of the technology.

Scientists need larger studies to measure the right doses and effects. "This is a leap forward in the development of personalized cancer treatment," says Dr. Antoni Ribas of the University of California, San Francisco, who led the research team. But it is too early to see the full impact of the therapy. The study is also said to be very expensive and time-consuming.