Gene therapy using CAR-T cells, genetically modified to attack and destroy cancer cells, is in full development in the field of oncology.
As proof, this new study published in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (Source 1), which presents very encouraging new results in the treatment of ovarian cancer.
In detail, CAR T-cell therapy consists of extracting the patient’s T lymphocytes to genetically modify them so that they attack a molecule called CAR (Chimeric Antigen Receptor), present on the surface of tumor cells. Until now, while this approach is available for people with blood cancer, it has been ineffective against solid tumors, such as in the case of ovarian cancer.
The researchers here tested three types of CAR-T cells programmed to attack mesothelin, a protein contained in many ovarian tumors. Several experiments were carried out, both in vitro and in laboratory mice.
Verdict: the use of CAR-T cells considerably prolonged the life of mice with cancer compared to mice in the control group, which had cancer but had not received this gene therapy. This one has increased life expectancy mice all by reducing the size of the tumor. Some individuals have even been declared cured by researchers.
« In several mice, there were no tumor cells left for us to detect, and the effect lasted just over three months after starting treatment. This is proof that immunotherapy involving CAR T cells that attack the mesothelin protein shows promise for ovarian cancer said Professor Jonas Mattsson, co-author of the study, in a statement (Source 2).
The team now hopes that these very encouraging results will pave the way for a clinical study, to determine if the same phenomena are found in women with ovarian cancer.