Technology has come a long way, especially in the medical field where scientists have discovered cures the diseases that were deemed incurable back then. When it comes to the cure for cancer, new research reveals the upsides and downsides of cancer immunotherapy.
According to Popular Science, a form of cancer treatment known as CAR T-cell immunotherapy shows the most potential when it comes to fighting cancer cells.
The CAR T-cell treatment works by removing the individuals T-cells or specialized white blood cells that are used to combat illness. Scientists would then make changes to the genes of the T cells and give them special receptors that would allow them to locate and destroy every cancer cell in the body. The cells are then reinfused to the patient's body so that they can start destroying cancer cells.
This has been proven successful in people who suffer from certain cancers of the blood, especially children who are suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). People who suffer from two kinds of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma have been observed to get the same result.
However, there is a big downside to undergoing CAR T-cell immunotherapy. While trying to kill the cancer cells, the body's immune system will go into overdrive. This can cause nearly fatal side effects like severely high fevers and very low blood pressure. It can also result in a temporary inflammation in the brain.
Another big downside to CAR T-cell immunotherapy is that the effects have a chance of being temporary, with cancer returning within months of the treatment. For some patients, it may not work at all.
Meanwhile, sometimes the solution is found in the simplest of settings. According to Newsweek, doctors have found that a drug that is usually given to alcoholics has an unusual side effect of fighting cancer. The drug, in particular, is known as Disulfram or Antabuse and it is usually given to those who are suffering from alcoholism.
This finding is based on new research from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, which has also revealed how Antabuse helps fight the disease. The team behind this study, which was published in Nature, explained that the drug seems to freeze tumor growth by suppressing a certain protein. The researchers observed the drug's effect on both mice and human cancer cells.
Researchers noted that when the drug is absorbed, the protein NPL4 is grouped together with the enzyme p97, therefore incapacitating the protein. This results in the freezing of cancer cells which then prevents them from releasing the said protein. This buildup then stresses the cancer cells thereby killing them.
The results became more prominent when it was combined with copper, and it was further revealed that the drug has no preference for what kind of cancer cells it kills. It was revealed to be helpful in treating breast, prostate and colon cancer. To add to that, Antabuse only works on the cancer cells, while the healthy cells remain unharmed.
