I hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving last week! Though our scheduled post was supposed to be last Thursday, I think it’s safe to say likely no one was interested in immunotherapy musings then.
So let’s now conclude the story of what happens when these modified CAR T cells are re-introduced to the patient’s body. To the left of the body is what we presented on November 10. To the right, what happens next: T cells survey the body by traveling through the body’s vascular system. Tumor cells, also traveling through the bloodstream, will encounter these CAR T cells. When this occurs, the CAR T cell’s modified antigen receptor will specifically recognize and bind to the tumor cell.
And then what? The T cell does what it does: destroys the tumor cell.
CAR T cell or ACT has been effective against blood-born cancers like leukemia and ALL (Acute lymphoblastic leukemia), but it’s also used to buy time for the patient where chemotherapy is no longer effective, until s/he can receive a bone marrow transplant.
Finally, other antigens are being targeted to work in concert with already existing CAR T cell/ACT therapies. These will go on to fight brain and pancreatic cancers.
This treatment is not without side effects, but the preliminary results are stunning. Stay tuned, because I’ll be visiting these treatments again as new developments are reported and verified.
So let’s now conclude the story of what happens when these modified CAR T cells are re-introduced to the patient’s body. To the left of the body is what we presented on November 10. To the right, what happens next: T cells survey the body by traveling through the body’s vascular system. Tumor cells, also traveling through the bloodstream, will encounter these CAR T cells. When this occurs, the CAR T cell’s modified antigen receptor will specifically recognize and bind to the tumor cell.
And then what? The T cell does what it does: destroys the tumor cell.
CAR T cell or ACT has been effective against blood-born cancers like leukemia and ALL (Acute lymphoblastic leukemia), but it’s also used to buy time for the patient where chemotherapy is no longer effective, until s/he can receive a bone marrow transplant.
Finally, other antigens are being targeted to work in concert with already existing CAR T cell/ACT therapies. These will go on to fight brain and pancreatic cancers.
This treatment is not without side effects, but the preliminary results are stunning. Stay tuned, because I’ll be visiting these treatments again as new developments are reported and verified.
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