A Breakthrough Against Leukemia Using Altered T-Cells - NYTimes.com - 1 views
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To perform the treatment, doctors remove millions of the patient’s T-cells — a type of white blood cell — and insert new genes that enable the T-cells to kill cancer cells. The technique employs a disabled form of H.I.V. because it is very good at carrying genetic material into T-cells. The new genes program the T-cells to attack B-cells, a normal part of the immune system that turn malignant in leukemia.
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The T-cells home in on a protein called CD-19 that is found on the surface of most B-cells
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cytokine-release syndrome, or cytokine storm
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Dr. June knew that a drug could lower IL-6
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tocilizumab
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the altered T-cells persist in the bloodstream
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The researchers are not entirely sure why the treatment works, or why it sometimes fails.
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It is not clear whether a patient’s body needs the altered T-cells forever. The cells do have a drawback: they destroy healthy B-cells as well as cancerous ones, leaving patients vulnerable to certain types of infections, so Emma and the other patients need regular treatments with immune globulins to prevent illness.
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I was wondering when they'd get to the consequences of killing off the B cells- that's huge.
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That's so funny- I just saw the update email and Dr. Finnerty also saw this topic (a different article) and posted it, too!)
