Advances in cancer treatment promise to give patients “not just more years but better ones,” a leading West Midlands medic said today.
New leukaemia treatments include T-cell therapy, which has the potential to reduce or replace the need for traditional chemotherapy, which can take a severe toll on the body.
New T-cell therapy
CAR-T (chimeric antigen receptor T-cell) therapy collects T-cells, a type of white blood cell. It then genetically modifies them so they better recognise and bind to antigens on cancer cells before re-entering them into a person’s bloodstream.
‘Survival is no longer sufficient’
Professor Alex Richter, director of immunology at University of Birmingham, said: “As we move forward in the treatment of leukaemia, it’s becoming increasingly clear that survival is no longer sufficient. We must also protect the patient’s quality of life.
“Targeted therapies, including CAR-T (chimeric antigen receptor T cells) and gene editing technologies, are game-changers because they aim to eliminate cancer cells while preserving the immune system’s natural ability to fight infection.
‘Not just more years but better ones’
“Chemotherapy has saved countless lives, but its broad toxicity often comes at a cost. These new therapies offer the potential to reduce that burden, giving patients not just more years but better ones.”
Clinical trials involving targeted immunotherapies and gene editing technologies have demonstrated the ability to attack cancer cells more precisely, which may help minimise the harsh side effects typically associated with chemotherapy such as nausea vomiting, fatigue, hair loss and a weakened immune system.
CAR-T cell therapy shows better outcomes than chemo
CAR-T cell therapy, which reprogrammes a patient’s immune cells to seek and destroy leukaemia cells, has shown remission rates significantly higher than those achieved by standard chemotherapy treatments in some studies.
The potential benefits include fewer complications, shorter recovery periods, and improved quality of life for patients.
Healthcare providers and cancer research organisations continue to monitor developments closely, hopeful that these innovations will lead to more effective and less toxic treatment options in the near future.
To learn more about CAR-T visit https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/treatment/targeted-cancer-drugs-immunotherapy/car-t-cell-therapy
