LA Times: "Huge" Results Raise Hope for Cancer Breakthrough

[AsburySkinsFan]

In a potential breakthrough in cancer research, scientists at the University of Pennsylvania have genetically engineered patients' T cells — a type of white blood cell — to attack cancer cells in advanced cases of a common type of leukemia.

Two of the three patients who received doses of the designer T cells in a clinical trial have remained cancer-free for more than a year, the researchers said.

Experts not connected with the trial said the feat was important because it suggested that T cells could be tweaked to kill a range of cancers, including ones of the blood, breast and colon.

"This is a huge accomplishment — huge," said Dr. Lee M. Nadler, dean for clinical and translational research at Harvard Medical School, who discovered the molecule on cancer cells that the Pennsylvania team's engineered T cells target.

More at link

http://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-0811-cancer-therapy-20110811,0,1073777.story

[ixcuincle]

Saw it on the news yesterday, good development, let's hope it progresses

[Fresh8686]

When I see T cells I can help but think of Resident Evil.

[China]

Saw it on the news yesterday, good development, let's hope it progresses

Something to keep an eye on. Only two patients so far, but I'm sure my stepmother could have used something like this to treat her leukemia before she succumbed. It would, at least, have been less toxic than the chemotherapy which was almost equally responsible for her death.

[@DCGoldPants]

If you haven't seen "Building a Beating Heart" on NatGeo, you should check it out. Its not about cancer per se. But its everything from remapping the DNA in donated organs to triggering our bodies to regrow parts. Its amazing.

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/explorer/4828/Overview