Curious Cat Science and Engineering Blog » Cloned Immune Cells Clear Patient’s Cancer

June 19, 2008

Cloned Immune Cells Clear Patient’s Cancer

Cloned immune cells cleared patient’s cancer

A patient whose skin cancer had spread throughout his body has been given the all-clear after being injected with billions of his own immune cells. Tests revealed that the 52-year-old man’s tumours, which spread from his skin to his lung and groin, vanished within two months of having the treatment, and had not returned two years later.

Doctors attempted the experimental therapy as part of a clinical trial after the man’s cancer failed to respond to conventional treatments.

The man is the first to benefit from the new technique, which uses cloning to produce billions of copies of a patient’s immune cells. When they are injected into the body they attack the cancer and force it into remission.

There are many more wonderful announcements than wonderful solutions that live up to the hope provided by the announcement. Still this is one in the long line of potentially wonderful treatments. If it turns out to be successful the whole world will benefit which is an example of why I am thankful so many countries are investing in science and technology.

by curiouscat Tags: Health Care, Students
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One Response to “Cloned Immune Cells Clear Patient’s Cancer”

Anonymous Says:
July 18th, 2008 at 9:58 am
This article is very timely. For those who aren’t familar with this type of research, it’s only in its infancy.

Cloning to produce billions of copies of a patient’s immune cells is much safer than existing treatments that we have - which cause serious side effects in most patients anyway. My hope is with proper funding (which will take time), researchers can turn the immune system into a weapon against cancer!