I have just found a very important news, above all for children. Yes, today, Monday, a new method, against Leukemia, has been submitted to experts, from around the world, in Barcelona. It may be a great step, in medical research.
A new immunotherapy treatment, to be applied to leukemia and other types of cancer, has been submitted to experts, from around the world, at the “Hospital Clínic” of Barcelona. Known as CART, it is to modify the T lymphocytes, from the patient, to lead them against leukemia cells.
A researcher in a laboratory
As reported by the hospital, this treatment is encouraging, in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common childhood leukemia, and that 93% of patients, without treatment options, have achieved a complete remission, is maintained for a period of 6 months and 3 years.
Medical specialists, worldwide, in Hematology, Immunology, Pediatric Hematology and Medical Oncology, have discussed the latest developments, obtained with this experimental technique, called in English Chimeric Antigen Recetor T-Cell (CART).
The symposium, organized by the Barcelona hospital, attended among others, the Dr. Carl June, a pioneer rese a type of adoptive immunotherapy, in which the patient becomes its own donor.archer, in this type of immunotherapy, and Director of Translational Research, at the Abramson Cancer Centre of the University of Pennsylvania (USA).
ALL is the most common type of cancer, in children, and it is characterized by an excessive production of lymphocytes, or immature white blood cells, that are quickly multiplied and they crowd normal cells out of the bone marrow.
Although the most children achieved a complete remission with chemotherapy or bone marrow transplantation, between 10% and 15% die cause of treatment resistance, due to their toxicity or relapse.
When treatment options are exhausted, they are needed less toxic solutions and more targeted, where the immunotherapy can play a key role solutions.
In this sense, the CART therapy, developed by Carl June, at the University of Pennsylvania, is
As explained by specialists, werponse, against viruses and bacteria) ande removed from patients T lymphocytes (cells, that coordinate the immune, response against viruses and bacteria) modified to direct against tumor cells and destroy them.
With these T cell transfusions, rejection is avoided and high response rates are achieved, as highlighted by the Hospital Clínic.
Well. I really liked this news, because I think it is wonderful that researchers can fill with hope, to thousands of parents, around the world, who have children with leukemia.
In addition, this article has reminded me when, in the late 90s, I helped a friend of mine, in Madrid, bringing to Spain, a child, aged 7, who had leukemia and the doctors said that he could die, at any time, if not operated soon. Well ... fortunately, we were able to bring him, to Barcelona, where they took care of the child, at the Institute of Health. They said they would try to make a bone marrow transplant --although it was difficult, because this child did not have his parents, either brothers or sisters; he only lived with an aunt of him and we did not know if his aunt´s bone was compatible with the child--; but, at the end, they had not operate on him and it was enough with a treatment. After 6 months, this child came to Madrid, back to his country, and cured. I got to meet him and I felt very happy and proud myself.
Until my next post, kind regards,
Luis.
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