By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    UV damage to eyes
    Warning Signs of Long-Term UV Damage to Your Eyes
    December 9, 2021
    degree for healthcare job
    The Ultimate Healthcare Recruiting and Staffing Guidebook
    March 21, 2022
    medicare part d benefits
    Everything that You Need to Know About Medicare Part D
    August 15, 2022
    Latest News
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
    The Best Home Remedies for Migraines
    June 5, 2025
    The Hidden Impact Of Stress On Your Body’s Alignment And Balance
    May 22, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    nursing program
    7 Tips to Picking the Best Nursing Program
    February 5, 2018
    Health Care: A Modern-Day Blade Runner?
    December 10, 2014
    Occupational Therapy Assistant | Medical Assistant | Home Health Aide
    In-Demand Healthcare Support Jobs
    April 16, 2016
    Latest News
    Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
    June 25, 2025
    When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
    June 20, 2025
    Preventing Contamination In Healthcare Facilities Starts With Hygiene
    June 15, 2025
    Strengthening Healthcare Systems Through Clinical and Administrative Career Development
    June 13, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Dramatic Early Clinical Trial Success for New Cancer Treatment
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Business > Finance > Dramatic Early Clinical Trial Success for New Cancer Treatment
FinanceGlobal HealthcareHospital AdministrationMedical EducationMedical InnovationsMedical RecordsNewsPublic HealthWellness

Dramatic Early Clinical Trial Success for New Cancer Treatment

Ryan Kh
Last updated: March 14, 2016 5:50 pm
Ryan Kh
Share
5 Min Read
SHARE

Attendees at this year’s annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington, D.C. were astounded by what they heard. Dr. Stan Riddell, of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, shared his ongoing research study and clinical trial results on immunotherapy, an experimental cancer treatment. To say the results are extraordinary is an understatement.

Attendees at this year’s annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington, D.C. were astounded by what they heard. Dr. Stan Riddell, of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, shared his ongoing research study and clinical trial results on immunotherapy, an experimental cancer treatment. To say the results are extraordinary is an understatement. In the first trial, conducted with patients who had acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a surprising 94% of participants had no symptoms at all after treatment. The second trial, conducted on patients with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, saw 80% positive responses and over half of those became free of symptoms. Clinical trial success rates like these are unprecedented. But how does immunotherapy work, and why, as this recent article by Alex Perdikis points out, is there reason for hope?

How Immunotherapy Works

Using the body’s own immune system to fight cancer is not a new idea. How to encourage the body to fight cancer cells without destroying healthy cells is one of the problems researchers have come up against. Dr. Riddell has studied ways to strengthen the immune system to fight disease for more than 25 years. The  present trial uses a form of immunotherapy that involves reprogramming the patient’s own T-cells to target and destroy cancer cells. T-cells, a type of white blood cell, are produced by the thymus gland and are a critical part of the body’s natural immune response. The patient’s T-cells are engineered with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) and programmed to find and fight specific targets. The engineered T-cells are then infused back into the patient where they multiply on their own without repeated administration. The addition of CARs into two different T-cell subsets made the cancer fighting cells in the current clinical trial more potent, longer lasting, and more effective than previous iterations.

More Read

The Digital-Digital Trend in Doctor-Patient Encounters
The Most Important Quality Improvement Measure: Patient Follow-Up
Driving Down the Real Cost of Healthcare: Pediatric and Teen Medical Homes
Revenue Cycle Integrity Must Precede Data Analytics
Supplements May Improve Memory

In one segment of Dr. Riddell’s study, 27 of the 29 patients who suffered from acute lymphoblastic leukemia had no trace of cancer left after T-cell infusions. In the group of 30 Non Hodgkin lymphoma patients, 19 experienced complete or partial responses. A single dose of engineered T-cells was enough to eliminate pounds of cancer in some study patients.

What makes the clinical trial results even more extraordinary is that most of the patients were considered terminal and not expected to survive more than a few months. Those same patients show no sign of disease today.

Almost There

Dr. Riddell cautions that, “Much like chemotherapy and radiotherapy, it’s not going to be a save-all.” Patients respond to treatment in different ways and multiple therapies may be required. Riddell also explains that, at this time, immunotherapy is a last ditch method to treat terminal patients after other treatments have failed.

Still, Dr. James Gallagher, BBC News website health editor, says that the field of immunotherapy is coming of age. Dr. Riddell and his team constantly refine the process to make treatments more effective and reduce side effects. Another challenge researchers are working on is how to use immunotherapy as an agent against solid tumors, such as those present in breast and lung cancers. Clearly, exciting new and innovative treatments are coming that lend hope to the fight against cancer.

TAGGED:immunotherapy
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share
By Ryan Kh
Follow:
Ryan Kh is an experienced blogger, digital content & social marketer. Founder of Catalyst For Business and contributor to search giants like Yahoo Finance, MSN. He is passionate about covering topics like big data, business intelligence, startups & entrepreneurship. Email: ryankh14@icloud.com

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

women dental care
What Is a Smile Makeover and How Much Does It Cost?
Dental health
June 30, 2025
HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps
Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
Global Healthcare Policy & Law Technology
June 25, 2025
recovering from injury
Rebuilding After Injury: Path to Physical and Emotional Recovery
News
June 22, 2025
scientist using microscope
When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
Global Healthcare
June 18, 2025

You Might also Like

Free at Last: You Can Now Sell Your Bone Marrow

December 2, 2011
Global HealthcareHospital AdministrationMedical Ethics

Corporate Social Responsibility in Healthcare

August 13, 2012

Reducing Surgical Complications – The Checklist

April 25, 2011

Preventive Medicine, Home Health & ACOs

February 9, 2012
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?