Deadly Leukemia Tamed by Novel Immune System Gene Therapy
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Genetically engineering a person’s immune system cells to recognize an aggressive form of leukemia led to remissions in five patients, including one whose cancer was wiped out in just eight days, researchers said.
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, which can kill in weeks when left untreated in adults, appears vulnerable to manipulation of the immune system, a study in the journal Science Translational Medicine found. Previous research found a similar approach could lead to remission in the slower-moving chronic lymphocytic leukemia, even in those who had failed other treatments.