FDA Approves First Gene Therapy for Pediatric Leukemia
The first gene therapy treatment approved by the FDA and available in the United States is tisagenlecleucel for pediatric and young adult patients with leukemia. Tisagenlecleucel is a treatment for relapsed or refactory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The FDA has approved treatment for patients up to 25 years old.
Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia, abbreviated as "ALL", is a type of cancer in which the bone marrow makes too many of an immature type of white blood cells called lymphocytes.
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Tisagenlecleucel therapy uses the patient's own immune cells to target their cancer. This is accomplished by collecting the patients T cells and sending them off to a laboratory where they are genetically modified. The T cells are modified with a receptor to target the surface of the cancer cells. After the T cells are genetically modified they are injected back inthe the patient to kill cancer cells.
Sources and Full Articles
FDA Approves First Gene Therapy for Pediatric Leukemia, Cancer Network, 1 September 2017
Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Treatment (PDQ®)–Patient Version, National Cancer Institue
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STOPIt will be really great if there will be a cure for cancers.
I keep hoping for that one day when there will be a cure.
Have a great weekend!
Steem on,
Mike
leukemia is a disease that is difficult to treat, leukemia patients, should be routine for dialysis, and always keep the diet. my brother, was exposed to leukemia since childhood. Could this gene therapy treatment can cure leukemia?
Sorry to hear that your brother has leukemia.
The treatment is approved for a certain type of leukemia in patients up to 25 years of age. It certainly could be a treatment to look into for your brother.
I do not think the treatment is being touted as a cure, but I am not a medical expert to know whether it is a cure or not. In my layman's mind, it could certainly arrest the cancer.
Have a great weekend!
Steem on,
Mike
Not just adults who can get cancer. The children did not escape from this most feared disease. The most common type of cancer found in children, is leukemia or blood cancer.
Every year, in our country of Indonesia, about 3,000 children aged 15 and under are diagnosed with leukemia. The high rate of leukemia patients worries parents. This blood cancer occurs when the bone marrow produces white blood cells (leukocytes) in excess. that's what we get information from the media in our country.
I did not know that about Indonesia.
It is possible that this gene therapy treatment could make a difference in Indonesia.
Have a great weekend!
Steem on,
Mike