Experimental Immune Therapy Kills Leukemia Tumors in Five Patients
Posted on March 22, 2013
Memorial Sloan-Kettering researchers were able to treat people with recurrent B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) using an experimental immune therapy technique. T cells were extracted from five patients, genetically modified to target the cancer cells, and returned to the patient's body. Scientific American reports that the researchers found the patients were rapidly cleared of the tumor after the modified T cells were reintroduced.
The study was published here in Science Translational Medicine. A U.S. News story says the experimental treatment is called adoptive T-cell therapy. It is still in its early experimental phase and not available out the research lab. Dr. Richard Besser says the procedure could potentially be used to fight other cancers. Take a look: