This therapy is revolutionary treatment for B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), a cancer of the blood that is found in most cases in children and young adults. CAR T-cell therapy stands for Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell; it is one of the immuno-therapy techniques used for the activation of the body's immune system for the destruction of cancerous cells.
The process starts by taking a patient's own T-cells (a type of white blood cell that fights infection) through a procedure called leukapheresis. These T-cells are then genetically modified in a lab to express a chimeric antigen receptor on their surface. It is a synthetic receptor engineered to enable T-cells to specifically recognize and bind to CD19, a surface protein commonly found on B-cells, including malignant B-cells involved in leukemia.
Once the T-cells have been modified, they are multiplied in the laboratory and infused into the patient's blood. Now the engineered CAR T-cells are programmed to identify and attack CD19+ B-cells, which may include leukemia. The approach here allows the immune system to fight the cancer more effectively by leaving the healthy tissue alone.
CAR T-cell therapy has promised a lot as a treatment of relapsed or refractory B-ALL; that is, the leukemia that does not respond to conventional therapy. It offers complete remission for some, which is really a beacon in cases where no other treatment had worked. The risks are inherent, though; side effects might include CRS and neurological toxicities, among others, and such need careful observation and management.
CAR T-cell therapy is the most advanced therapy in cancer treatment, providing hope for a lifeline to B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients.
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