Immunotherapy research news (Is it really?)

There's a typo in the link. It should be:



www.independent.co.uk/news/science/exclusive-cancer--a-cure-just-got-closer-thanks-to-a-tiny-british-company-and-the-result-could-change-lives-of-millions-8707590.html



Thanks for sharing. This sounds interesting...

A T cell is the predominate type of lymphocyte which circulates in the peripheral blood. There are, broadly speaking, two types of lymphocytes. T cells and B cells. The T cells work by directly killing the offending organism (or cancer cell). They also secrete factors which recruit other types of immune cells. Some T cells are "suppressor" cells, which shut down the immune response. Other cells are "helper" cells, which augment the immune response.

There has been some good clinical response to adaptive T cell therapy so far in metastatic melanoma patients. The therapy involves harvesting T cells from the patient's tumor. The T cells are multiplied in the laboratory and then billions of the cells are transfused back into the patient. These T cells specifically target the tumor but are not numerous or strong enough to eradicate it.

To help these tumor-specific T cells proliferate in the bloodstream, patients are given chemotherapy to deplete ordinary T cells prior to the tumor-specific T cells' reintroduction and given high-dose IL-2 to stimulate T cell growth after the T cells' reintroduction. It is still very experimental.

Studies involving dendritic cell vaccine, using ovarian cancer patients' own tumor followed by adaptive T cell therapy, triggers anti-tumor immune responses in these type of patients. Researchers say it's too early to say whether this type of therapy will be effective in a large number of patients, but some of the early results are promising.

I've been enamored by immunotherapy research, ever since I read the one 1991 study based on the concept of "in situ vaccination" based upon biologic response modifiers in an assay. In the 1960's, tumor immunology was probably the hottest field in cancer research. Then again, in the early 1980's, with the work of Rosenberg at the NCI with IL-2 and "LAK" and "TIL" cells. The immune system is obviously important. It is a natural approach to cancer therapy. It's good to see the resurgence of aggressive cancer vaccine research. Is it different this time? I certainly hope so!

"One hope of using T-cells, is that this possibility of escape is narrowed down, or even eliminated. Of course, these are still early days. This is only just beginning to go through the first clinical trials. It could take five or 10 years before we know whether or not they work."