Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

October 6, 2008 10:44:09 PM CDT

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

Melanoma Cured by Cloning Patient's Own Immune Cells

Posted Jun 19, 08 6:11 AM CDT in Science & Health 

(Newser) – Scientists eliminated a man's late-stage melanoma by giving the body's own defenses a massive boost, Scientific American reports. They removed infection-fighting white blood cells from the patient's body, cloned them in the lab until they numbered in the billions, and injected them back into the patient. He was tumor-free 2 months later and remained so for 2 years. 

The researchers say the results of the study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, could lead to new cancer treatments that avoid the side effects of chemotherapy by using only the body's own immune cells. They warn, however, that the dramatic results occurred in just one patient, and that much research remains to be done.

Source Scientific American

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • Tobacco May Help Cure Cancer

    Jul 22, 08 5:39 PM CDT
    Tobacco May Help Cure Cancer Scientists are trying to use the tobacco plant to produce a cancer vaccine, Newsweek reports. Ironic though it may be, the plant could someday offer fast and cheap production of antibodies personalized for individual’s tumor cells. In the first study of its kind, scientists found that the plant-based vaccine triggered the immune systems of patients with a type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma without dangerous side effects. A larger study will now determine how effective the vaccine is at fighting the cancer. More »

The cloned CD4 T cells injected back into the patient triggered the growth of cells that attacked his cancer.   (Shutter Stock)
Researchers used a patient's cloned white blood cells to fight his cancer, with dramatic results.   (Shutter Stock)
Immunologists say this case is the first time growing cancer-fighting cells outside the body and then injecting them back into the patient has shown results.   ((c) Vironevaeh)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (
1
 of 2)

Tags

cancer  • cancer research  • immune system  • tumor  • chemotherapy  • immunotherapy


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Other Science & Health Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Newser gives you more news in less time. We search for the best and most important stories all over the web, read them for you, and deliver concise and sharp summaries—along with links to the full text. Newser provides a way to stay on top of an ever-expanding horizon of news and opinion—politics, sports, business, trends, technology, personalities, crimes, and controversies. Newser keeps you not just better informed, but, with our signature graphic interface and smart condensed format, more enjoyably informed.

Learn more »