Leukaemia is a cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow of a human being.
While studies continue to draw more focus on finding appropriate and effective drugs and strategies to help cancer victims, a team of cancer researchers led by scientist Professor Stanley Riddell of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre, Seattle, USA, have identified a new technique that can be used to fight cancer.
The new technique involves the removal of immune cells called T-cells from the patients. The cells are than tagged in the receptor molecules, and after screening, are infused back in the patient’s body.
When tried on an estimate of 94 per cent of participants with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, the test has shown that symptoms in the patients vanished.
Speaking at the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual meeting in Washington DC, Professor Riddell described the results as “potential paradigm shift” in cancer treatment.
Other research reports conducted by other cancer researchers using the technique have shown positive results as well.
This has encouraged the scientists who believe the new technique can be used to help cancer patients more effectively.
By far, the technique has only been used on patients with liquid blood cancer and Professor Riddell is hopeful this technique can also be tried out on cancer patients with solid tumour as well.
