Developing Immunotherapy Techniques as Cancer Treatment
We all know someone that has been affected by cancer. As the years go on it seems that the impact of such a horrible disease is extending rapidly and the push for a cure is stronger than ever. In recent years, immunotherapy has become a promising technique for cancer treatment. As science progresses and we learn more about the ways in which cancer cells develop and spread, we also learn more about pathways that can be used to destroy them. In a general sense, immunotherapy is the programming of specific substances produced by the body, such as T cells, antibodies, etc., to either elicit or suppress a specific immune response. These responses can be an activation, in which the immune response is initiated and certain cells or substrates are targeted, eliciting tasks including cell death or exportation. The response can also be the suppression of an immune response in which the events occurring are allowed to continue.
This recent study seeks to identify the main components of successful anticancer immunotherapy, almost entirely focusing on the use of T cells. The information presented covers a range of topics as it relays information on all aspects of the treatment. To begin, the study reports necessary characteristics of cancer cells for treatment, including the importance of a high mutation rate. This is likely as it increases the chances that a T cell will be able to recognize the specific cells necessary for effective treatment. Another section of the study focuses on three important aspects of the infiltrating cells, including the numbers of different cell types, as well as the positioning of cancerous cells to immune cells, and the different functions of different immune cells. Also stressed include some outside factors that need to be considered in use of such treatments. These factors are composed of essential things such as the effect of the treatments on non-cancer cells, as well as the interactions between multiple forms of cancer treatment. These are both incredibly important in the safety of individuals when using immunotherapy.
The goal of the authors of this article is to recognize important factors in immunotherapy so as one day it might be personalized. Personalized treatment would likely increase the success rates exponentially, as well as improve the experience for the individuals. They cover important factors of treatment cells as well as of different cancerous cells. They also discuss various outside aspects that contribute to the health of the individual outside of the cancer. This information is so important as it could lead to serious breakthroughs in this developing treatment. By analyzing a lot of different material, they were able to come up with a rather concise list of factors for further investigation. Cancer is a scary reality for a lot of people, and our continuing efforts to eradicate it are only becoming more essential.
Posted by Alexandra McGuire (2)
Unfortunately in today's world it is very uncommon to not know someone who has been affected by cancer. Even the fact that some cancers now are treatable when they never used to be is revolutionary. Of course, there's always room for improvement. Did this study experiment at all or was it just hypothesizing? I think this is a wonderful idea and I hope that if they have not done so already that they could try testing it out to see how effective it can be!
ReplyDelete- Danielle Bermingham
The study was focused on the analysis of others' data in order to effectively determine the important aspects to successful treatment. So, they unfortunately did not perform any actual experiments on their own, though I agree that I do hope they will attempt these methods and essential characteristics soon!
DeleteAlexandra McGuire
It is good to hear that researchers are trying to find better and less harmful ways of treating cancer than just chemotherapy and radiation since those are so harmful in their own sense. Immunotherapy that involves T cells can be the next big thing in treating cancer. Were there any side effects listed when trying this treatment or have they not reached that phase of testing yet?
ReplyDeletePosted by: Katarzyna Mosio
Unfortunately I do not believe they have reached that phase of testing yet, however you bring up an interesting point. I do wonder what such side effects could be of an enhanced immune response. I believe this could be reliant upon the form of immunotherapy being used as well as the cancer type it is being used to treat.
DeleteAlexandra McGuire
Would immunotherapy be used for all types of cancer, or was this study focused on a more specific cancer type/population of people? Also would they be targeting the T cells of cancer patients or would they somehow inject the T cells into the patient? Immunotherapy sounds like a major breakthrough in treatment for a disease that affects so many people in this day and hopefully they can begin testing this therapy soon!
ReplyDeleteThe whole concept of immunotherapy is fascinating to me. We are already born with this super complex system to fight infection, so it makes sense to figure out exactly how it works so we can manipulate it in a way that's advantageous. One part that's still unclear to me is how they're boosting or amplifying the immune response? How are the antibodies and T cells being produced?
ReplyDelete-Matt Murdoch
This is a really interesting question and to be honest I'm also not completely clear on how it works. I believe T cells and antibodies are synthesized through removal from the patient, and then some altering to make them more prone to attack the specific cancer cells at large. I think this is where the whole personalized patient care comes into play!
DeleteAlexandra McGuire
I like this method of thinking about cancer. As years go by molecular biologists and molecular pathway research has progressed to an amazing level. The near fact that these therapies are using our natural cellular pathways against cancer is fascinating to me. The evolutionary biology side of me wonders if these therapies could have scary responses by the cancers treated by them? Like the classic "antibodies gone wrong" where the bacteria evolves to be stronger? Or is immunotherapy so targeted that it will simply knock out a pathway or series of processes and eliminate cancer from ever forming?
ReplyDelete-Andrew Davis
I like this method of thinking about cancer. As years go by molecular biologists and molecular pathway research has progressed to an amazing level. The near fact that these therapies are using our natural cellular pathways against cancer is fascinating to me. The evolutionary biology side of me wonders if these therapies could have scary responses by the cancers treated by them? Like the classic "antibodies gone wrong" where the bacteria evolves to be stronger? Or is immunotherapy so targeted that it will simply knock out a pathway or series of processes and eliminate cancer from ever forming?
ReplyDelete-Andrew Davis