ImmunotherapyA treatment for a disease (including cancer) that involves the modulation of the immune system. Treatments include the administration of cytokines (proteins produced by cells of the immune system) and vaccinations. is a type of cancer treatment that uses the patient’s own cells to fight against cancer cancer cells. However, not all patients respond to this type of therapy. Our previous news report told about the rare story of a cancer patient who ultimately died from an “invisible” cancer cell created by an immunotherapy treatment. However, immunotherapy is still considered one of the most promising treatments and can be highly effective. An example is a 78-year-old patient with chronic lymphoblastic leukemiaA cancer affecting the cells that develop into white or red blood cells. Both of these cell types originate from stem cells in bone marrow. Red blood cells function to carry oxygen to our tissues and the white cells (leukocytes) are part of our immune system. The cancerous cells often accumulate in the blood. who underwent CAR-T cell treatment in 2018. The patient showed promising results two months after the first treatment and eventually went into remissionA period of time in which the symptoms and signs of cancer are decreased or absent. Remission can be spontaneous or brought about by treatments. This may be of varying duration and does not necessarily indicate that a patient is cured. (no evidence of cancer). According to the report on the case, the amazing response was due to the reproduction of a single CAR-T cell – one of billions that were put into the patient. This particular CAR-T cell had experienced change in a geneA stretch of DNA that leads to the production of an RNA. The RNA is produced during the process of transcription. This RNA can be used to guide the formation of a protein via translation or can be used directly in the cell. called TET2. Researchers found out that this change had somehow increased the “power” of the cancer killing cell. They are now looking into ways TET2 can play in improving immunotherapy for other patients.
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