Understanding the adversary is one of the most significant challenges in the fight against cancer. That happens because, as scientific research shows, cancer cells often mimic healthy ones, leading to treatments that can harm both.
Researchers are shifting focus to protect healthy cells, making treatments more efficient and less toxic. This innovative approach is particularly promising for treating blood cancers. Start reading this article and discover more details about this new technique in cancer treatment.
The Problem With Traditional Cancer Treatments
The challenges in targeting cancer cells involve the mimicry of healthy cells, the lack of distinct molecular markers, and the toxicity and inefficiency. The first means that cancer cells often resemble healthy cells, making it difficult to target them without affecting healthy tissue.
The second rerpesents an absence of unique markers that makes it hard to differentiate between cancerous and healthy cells. The latter relates to the fact that treatments that target cancer cells can harm healthy cells, leading to severe side effects and reduced efficacy.
A New Approach: Protecting Healthy Cells
Researchers are exploring a new approach focusing on marking and shielding healthy cells. Healthy blood stem cells are gathered and genetically modified to alter specific molecular markers.
These engineered cells are transplanted back into the patient. Treatments can now focus on the unmodified cancer cells, leaving the healthy ones unharmed.
Among the promising results in blood cancers, the most emphasized by the research are universality, focus on CD45 marker and genetic editing. Check out more about them below.
- Universality: The method works regardless of whether the cancer originates from B cells, T cells, or myeloid cells.
- Focus on CD45 Marker: Researchers are targeting CD45, a marker found in blood cells except for red blood cells and platelets.
- Genetic Editing: Using "base editing" to make subtle DNA changes, ensuring healthy cells are protected.
Continue reading to know the experimental success the research breakthroughs provided.
Breakthroughs In Research
Mice injected with various cancerous cells showed significant tumor reduction after a single treatment dose. Fortunately, when human cancer cells were tested, healthy cells remained untouched while cancerous cells were destroyed.
The base editing technique allows for precise DNA changes, altering only one amino acid to make healthy cells invisible to treatment without affecting their function.
Impacts And Applications
This approach could render traditional chemotherapy obsolete by specifically targeting cancerous cells. Focused treatment could significantly lower side effects and improve patient outcomes.
CAR T cells are engineered T cells that can target specific markers on cancer cells, leaving healthy cells unharmed. Both ADCs (Antibody-Drug Conjugates) and CAR T cells show promise and progress toward clinical trials.
The broader applications involve developing a universal treatment for blood cancers and potentially other types of cancer. The ability to protect healthy cells while targeting harmful ones could also be useful in treating autoimmune diseases and HIV.
While the future looks promising, extensive clinical trials are essential to confirm these early successes. By protecting healthy cells and precisely targeting cancerous ones, researchers are paving new ways for cancer therapy.
