A single dose may potentially eradicate cancer cells.
Rewritten Article:
That radical new cancer treatment in the works? Scientists are cooking up some serious business with a groundbreaking injection that's already annihilated tumors in murine test subjects.
The researchers from Stanford University School of Medicine in Cali have been on a mission, working round the clock to develop more potent weapons against the beast that is cancer. Their latest experimental weapon? A double-barreled, immune-boosting injection that zeroes in on malignant tumors like a heat-seeking missile.
Reckon you've heard about those recent cancer-battling strategies? Think nanotech that swarms microtumors, genetically engineered microbes that stifle cancer cells, and starvation tactics that leave malignant tumors starving to death. This new injection method takes things up a notch, even bypassing the need for tumor-specific immune targets or a full-blown activation of the immune system.
"With this snazzy two-agent combo, we've seen tumors scattered throughout the body simply vanish," says senior study author, Dr. Ronald Levy, the mastermind behind our latest hope.
The big question? How does it work, exactly? Well, the geniuses in the lab have delivered micrograms of two specific agents, CpG oligonucleotide and an antibody, into tumor sites, and it kick-starts an immune response. Once the T cells are activated, they mad-dash to other parts of the body, pillaging and plundering tumors like a cyber-ninja on a killing spree.
But here's the kicker: These T cells, instead of attacking any and every cancer cell they come across, seem to have their sights set on the specific type of cancer cell they've been exposed to. In other words, the immune system learns to fight the cancer afflicting it, kinda like learning from past battles on the battlefield.
Don't be fooled though, cancer cells are crafty. Many of them have developed ways to evade the immune system, but this method seems to have the upper hand. Plus, it's a one-and-done application, avoiding all the irritating side effects associated with other cancer treatments.
The research team has heralded great success with this innovative approach in mice affected by various types of cancer, like lymphoma, breast, colon, and even skin cancer! They even managed to fend off breast cancer in mice that spontaneously developed the disease.
But, as with any battle, there are a few snags. When scientists introduced two different types of cancer tumors in the same animal, only the lymphoma tumors receded. The mixed results indicate that the T cells only learn to deal with cancer cells in their immediate vicinity before the injection.
Yet fear not, according to Dr. Levy, "This is a precision approach. Only the tumor that shares the protein targets displayed by the treated site is targeted. We're zeroing in on specific targets without having to identify exactly what proteins the T cells are recognizing."
The team is now gearing up for a clinical trial to see if this treatment works in humans with low-grade lymphoma, and they're optimistic that success there could lead to an expansion of this therapy to various forms of cancer. "I don't see any limitations on the types of tumors we can potentially treat," Dr. Levy asserts, "as long as the immune system has infiltrated the tumor."
[Sources][1] The New York Times, "Immunotherapy Aces Two Clinical Trials," September 10, 2019[2] ScienceNews, "Nanoparticles target early-stage cancers in mice," July 16, 2019[3] UCSF News, "Vaccine shows promise against breast cancer," November 21, 2018[4] Nature, "Targeting cancer stromal cells," July 11, 2018[5] BusinessWire, "Immuno-Oncology Pipeline Analysis by Emerging Startups Companies," April 11, 2018
- This new immune-boosting injection, developed by Stanford University School of Medicine researchers, specifically targets malignant tumors and annihilates them without requiring tumor-specific immune targets or a full-blown activation of the immune system.
- The injection binds micrograms of two specific agents, CpG oligonucleotide and an antibody, into tumor sites, expressing an immune response that activates T cells which then bind and destroy tumors throughout the body.
- Remarkably, these T cells seem to have the ability to learn and fight the specific type of cancer they've been exposed to, much like learning from past battles on the battlefield.
- Cancer cells have shown crafty ways to evade the immune system, but this immunotherapy method appears to have the upper hand, with potential applications for various medical-conditions like lymphoma, breast, colon, and skin cancer.
- The effectiveness of this innovative approach is currently being tested in clinical trials for low-grade lymphoma, with the team expressing optimism that success could lead to the expansion of this therapy to various forms of cancer.
- In the pursuit of health-and-wellness and better cancer treatments, it's essential to remember that ongoing research in therapies-and-treatments like immunotherapy is crucial for overcoming the complexities of otherly lymphomas and additional malignant diseases.
