Breakthroughs Today

The prospect is very good for the newly gene-modified T-cells that has so far fully stopped chronic lymphocytic luekemia (CLL) in two volunteers. The remission has continued for already a year since the treatment. We hope that longer remissions will be observed in this new method of gene therapy. Carl June, a gene therapy expert at the University of Pennsylvania, has some much reason to celebrate in the recent albeit small victory in the fight against cancer using a new gene modification technique performed on T-cells. The new method uses a carrier that delivers the new genes to the T-cells. The new genes are designed to begin dictating T-cells to kill cancer cells and multiply. A regiment of mercenary T-cells get reproduced, specifically attacking leukemic cells and eradicating them all. All it takes are three infusions of genetically engineered T-cells. The only drawback so far is the reengineered T-cells' nonspecific targeting of other immune-active blood cells. Still two succ

Daniel J. DeNoon of WebMD Health News reported on 30 September 2010 that a new gold standard in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) chemotherapy has been established. The new standard added Rituxan to the old standard chemotherapy, and so far raises three-year survival to 65 percent. "Nobody expected Rituxan to have such a dramatic effect in CLL," De Noon wrote. CLL is the most common form of leukemia afflicting adults. Five out of 100,000 people get hit with it each year, mostly the middle-agers and elderly. About 8 percent of those with CLL, the high-risk group, lost the p53 marker in their cancer cells. This marker fortunately becomes CLL's Achilles heel that standard chemotherapy exploits. Rituxan however does not work through p53, and cannot be used when p53 exists. Rituxan is a chimeric monoclonal antibody that attacks protein CD20, which is primarily found on the surface of B cells. It can destroy B cells in the process. Chemically, it contains 6416 Carbon molecu