A cure for all types of cancer could be available on the NI-IS within five years, say scientists in Manchester. The world's first patient trials in a technique which genetically engineers cells will take place at the city's Christie Hospital later this year. According to BBC, the treatment gene-modified t-cell therapy could replace more intrusive treatments like chemotherapy. The cells are fitted with a "tracker" device to kill cancer cells before being injected back into the patient.
Professor Robert Hawkins, clinical director of Medical oncology at the hospital, says the initial results of lab tests have been "spectacular".
More traditional treatments like radiotherapy and chemotherapy destroy both healthy and cancerous cells. The new system makes the body naturally seek out and kill tumours by boosting the infection-fighting t-cells.
The body does not naturally have enough of these cells to combat huge tumours, and cancer cells often develop protective mechanisms to avoid them being recognised by the body as a disease.
Doctors will take blood samples from cancer patients to extract t-cells. They then genetically modify the t-cells, attaching an antibody, which works like a tracking device to enable the t-cells to zone in on cancer tumours.
Comments
Comments are closed.