Chimeric Dream Made Possible
Welcome back guys! If you’re new to the blog, welcome! As for this week’s update, I took a deeper dive into a specific treatment method of immunotherapy: CAR-T Therapy. Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy involves reprogramming a patient’s own immune cells, specifically T cells, to recognize and attack cancer cells.
Furthermore, CAR-T therapy follows a specific procedure (Cleveland Clinic, 2022):
1. Collection of T Cells: T cells are extracted from the patient through a process called leukapheresis, where blood is drawn from the vein in the patient’s arm into an apheresis machine, which removes the T cells from the blood and then pumps the rest of the blood back into your body through a different tube.
2. Genetic Modification: The isolated T cells undergo genetic modification to introduce the CAR (Chimeric Antigen Receptor), which is a synthetic receptor designed to recognize cancer-specific antigens.
3. Cell Expansion: The modified T cells are cultured and expanded in the lab until the cells reach a specific amount for therapeutic use. Once the amount is reached, the new cells are frozen until the body is ready to receive them again.
4. Infusion: The expanded and multiplied CAR-T cells are then infused back into the patient’s body, where they can recognize and destroy cancer cells expressing the targeted antigens.
One of the most promising aspects of CAR-T cell therapy is its potential for personalized medicine; its ability to tailor the treatment to a patient’s specific cancer antigens enhances its precision and effectiveness. Researchers are also hoping to optimize CAR-T therapy, especially by developing next-generation CARs and refining patient selection criteria. As transformative therapy evolves in the future, it has the potential to reshape the oncology and immunology landscape and improve outcomes for patients.
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