The News:

A team of researchers at The National Cancer Institute of USA have successfully reversed advanced melanoma skin cancer by manipulating the genes of white blood cells to get them to attack the cancer cells.

The experimental gene therapy for cancer treatment was published by the Science journal in its online edition.

The Background:

Melanoma is a highly dangerous and frequently fatal form of skin cancer. Melanoma when advances into a stage called metastasis, the cancer cells in skin layers enter the blood and lymph circulation system and spread to and infect far off places in body. Due to this virulence, the skin cancer in the form of melanoma becomes highly fatal.

Any cancer that is advanced into metastasis stage makes it difficult to cure by chemo therapy and radiotherapy because of the extensive spread. White blood cells or lymphocytes in body fight various disease causing organisms in the body. These are genetically programmed such that upon encountering any foreign body in the blood stream these white blood cells produce proteins that match the surface proteins pattern of foreign body and thereby binds to them before eventually killing or making them ineffective. However, this excellent line of defense of human body do not recognize the cancer cells much and unable to stop their spread.

How it worked:

Scientists, tackled it now by reprogramming the patients’ own lymphocytes through gene therapy to recognise and fight the cancer cells. Scientists succeeded in imparting patients immune system the ability to control and sustain a regression of melanoma

Reportedly, they tried this method on 17 patients in three groups, by injecting into them their own altered lymphocytes. They prodded these cells to find and destroy cancer cells, by genetic introduction of T cell receptors. Initially, the method is failed to slow down the disease. Later, they injected the genetically modified lymphocytes into the patients at the cells’ most active growth phase. Fortunately, this helped increase the effect. Among the dozen or so patients, the cancer regressed in two. Moreover, a month later they found that all the patients who receives modifies treatment showed significant levels of the cancer-fighting cells.

The Future:

“These results represent the first time gene therapy has been used successfully to treat cancer,” said Elias Zerhouni, director of the National Institutes of Health, which oversees the National Cancer Institute, The Hindu and AFP reported. The associated press also released an inspiring photograph of one Mr. Mark Origer (53) of Wisconsin taking his daughter to the altar. He is a patient of advanced end- stage melanoma and never hoped to live to see this event but after receiving the experimental gene therapy, he got rid of the dreaded disease. Their smile said it all.

Scientists now hope that it will be applicable not only to melanoma but one day also for other cancers like breast cancer, lung cancer etc., too, agencies said.