Posted on 01/14/2018 7:03:16 PM PST by libh8er
The Nanjing government has released an article that states a patient suffering from recurrent Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (otherwise known as ALL) has been cured following CAR-T (Chimeric Antigen Receptors) therapy at the Jiangsu Provincial Hospital of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine).
Through genetic engineering, the patient’s T cells (the lymphoid stem cell, which is derived from bone marrow) were regenerated, “wiping out the tumour through the immune system”. The patient, a Mr. Zhang, had already endured two rounds of chemotherapy before, he says, the therapy “pulled me back from the jaws of death”.
The 49 year old Zhang had caught a sudden fever in October of 2016 and his body temperature soared to 40 degrees celsius. After two rounds of chemo his condition improved but he could no longer continue with treatments due to economic struggles. Severe back pain brought him to Chief Physician Dr. Zhu Xuejun, when it was found that the leukemia cell incidence in Zhang’s bone marrow was up to 81 percent. He was given months to live.
In August 2017, Zhu Xuejun began CAR-T therapy, free of charge, on Mr. Zhang. Side effects included a persistent high fever and chills, yet, he was said to have passed the “dangerous period”. After 3 weeks of treatment, Zhang’s leukemia cells had disappeared completely from his bone marrow.
“I feel good now, I went jogging this morning”, Zhang told reporters. First successful treatments of CAR-T therapy in Nanjing, together with the help of Tsinghua University, began around September of 2015.
CAR-T or chimeric antigen receptors are engineered to graft onto an immune effector cell. The cells are engineered to latch onto cancer cells and dissolve them. It has been hailed the “miracle cure”.
China is a mix of 21st Century and 2nd Century.
This is not to say herbs and psychology are worthless, but they don’t cure leukemia.
I am sure you miss him everyday, very sorry he was taken so young.
As my Oncologist told me many years ago, Leukemia is Treatable, not Curable. Even when you think you are free and clear, the trigger that caused it is still lurking.
Treatment options have improved since my Diagnosis for CLL twelve Years ago. I have already lived past my initial “Sell By” Date although I was closer to Buying the Farm than I realized a few years ago.
And yes, I love Big Pharma, now more than ever.
That is not entirely true. Indolent (slow growing) Leukemias, the type you had, or have, are considered not curable. The reason is chemo mainly targets fast growing cells and since the cells in CLL are not fast growing, it's hard to get them all. Aggressive leukemias like ALL on the other hand, or its counterpart Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma, are potentially curable. That's the paradox. The ones that could potentially kill you, and quickly, are also potentially curable. Ones that take years and years to develop are incurable. But of course all that might change with CAR-T entering the market.
I am so very, deeply sorry.
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You sound disappointed.
China may not pay attention to Western patents in China, but you can be VERY SURE that they will have lawyers aggressively protecting THEIR patents in the West.
Here’s Doug Olson, the first patient cured of CLL using CAR-T.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cr26AFXiGfI
I don't think there are any CAR-T trials or new approved therapies for T-ALL yet. T-ALL is rare. Everything I have seen so far are for B-ALL. But there could be in the pipeline.
Thanks, but I never use the word “cured” when it comes to Leukemia or any other Cancer.
I prefer using the word “treated” until something else kills you.
My Father was supposedly “cured” of Lymphoma, but his Oncologist still had him come in every six Months just in case.
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