Category Archives: Cancer

DE-MYTHIFYING THE MONSTER- THE BREAST CANCER MONSTER

Awareness, Cancer, , , , , , , ,

Welcome to October, the Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Turacoz presents to you a de-mystified read on Breast Cancer and issues related to it.

Prevalence

In recent times, Breast Cancer has been one of the predominant cancers. How predominant? Let’s have a look at the numbers.  A total of 7.8 million women were diagnosed worldwide within the 5-year period according to the WHO (World Health Organization) statistics reported at the end of 2020. Among these 7.8 million patients, 2.8 million people were diagnosed in the year 2020 itself. Breast Cancer accounts for 14% of total cancers in Indian women with four reported cases every minute.

Risk Factors- the Uncontrollable and Healthy Lifestyle

The numbers are worrisome. Hence, understanding the risk factors are vital.

Gender: Well, being a woman is the highest risk factor of developing Breast Cancer. Unlike men, women’s breast development is much more elaborate and is highly sensitive to hormonal fluctuations, especially estrogen.

Age: Everyone ages and with aging, the risk of Breast Cancer development also increases until the seventh decade. Two prominent reasons behind this trend include:

  • Hormonal changes with age: The estrogen levels shoot up three-fold in 30s and plateaus by 60s. However, this ruckus of estrogen levels wreaks havoc on breast tissues.
  • Impaired repairing mechanism: Loss of organ function with age is common. But add on to that, with age even the DNA repairing capability decreases- more to say correct gene expressions and regulation, all gets affected after a certain age. So, this erroneous DNA fuels Breast Cancer.

Other inexorable risks include:

  • Giving birth after 30!
  • Menarche before 12 or Menopause after 55
  • Immediate family having Breast Cancer
  • Inherited genes
  • Race/Ethnicity

The risks aforesaid are unavoidable.

Now comes something that is in your control which include:

  • Maintaining a healthy weight
  • Drinking alcohol
  • Lack of exercise
  • Smoking
  • Low Vitamin D levels
  • Eating healthy food.

Basically, all the factors that are controllable are related to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

From the risk factors checklist, it is evident Breast Cancer development is not under your control. Seems like an invisible monster, doesn’t it? But there must be something you all can do to keep it in check. Well, yes.

Other than self-examination of breasts, screening techniques such as MRI, Mammogram, Thermography or Tissue sampling are also done. However, the testing varies depending on age or certain causative factors.

And lastly, we must understand that cancer is a multifactorial phenomenon. Hence, it requires not only avoiding the controlling factors but avoiding the myths as well.

The Myths of Breast Cancer

Mammograms are dangerous!

Not at all. Mammograms are not at all dangerous. In fact, they are your best saviour for correct screening.

I self-examined. No lumps found!

Well, even if you self- examined, it’s better to double check by opting for screening tests.

I haven’t resorted to Hormone Replacement Therapy. I am safe!

No. Hormone Replacement Therapy may or may not fuel your cancer. But avoiding it has no relation to Breast cancer occurrence.

My mother/ sister had breast cancer. I will definitely get it!

Well, no. There is no “definite” in cancer. Had there been, treating them would have been much easier. So don’t resort to fear, rather report to your physician and opt for any screening test for a clinical confirmation.

Cancer is a monster? Yes. But keeping that monster out of the bay with your awareness can SAVE you.

Stay aware, Stay Healthy

References

  1. who.int (2021) Breast Cancer https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/breast-cancer
  2. Benz C. C. (2008). Critical reviews in oncology/hematology, 66(1), 65–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.critrevonc.2007.09.001
  3. Husna, et al. (2019). Education for health (Abingdon, England), 32(2), 101–102. https://doi.org/10.4103/efh.EfH_226_18

Recent Advancements in Cancer Treatment

Cancer, , , , , , , ,

Cancer refers to a medical condition characterized by uncontrolled division of cells forming tumor. During normal cell cycle, the cells grow, divide and die and new cells take their place, whereas in cancer, the abnormal cells continue dividing and do not die. The cancerous cells may invade other body parts or tissues thereby spreading cancer to those parts which is known as metastatic cancer. On the other hand, the benign cancer does not spread or invade other body parts, it remains located to a specific organ.1, 2

Global prevalence of cancer

As per the estimates of GLOBOCAN 2018, the global cancer burden has increased to 18.1 million new cases and 9.6 million deaths. The global 5-year prevalence is estimated to be 43.8 million which is the total number of people alive within 5 years of a cancer diagnosis.3,4 On combining the global patterns for men and women in 2018, around half of the new cases and more than half of the cancer deaths globally are estimated to occur in Asia.4

Importance of early detection

Early diagnosis of cancer is important as it enhances the chances of successful treatment. Raising the awareness towards early signs and symptoms of cancer can help in targeting this deadliest disease at the earliest. Various tests are available for screening of different types of cancers such as mammography for breast cancer screening; cytology screening methods, including Pap smears for cervical cancer screening.5

Treatment of cancer

Cancer treatment is based on the type of cancer and its stage. It usually involves a combination of various treatment approaches including:6

  • Surgery
  • Chemotherapy
  • Radiotherapy
  • Hormonal therapy
  • Novel therapies

Latest Advances in the Treatment of Cancer

The advent of novel ideas and techniques of cancer treatment are showing promising results by improving the survival outcomes.7 Below mentioned are some recently introduced treatment modalities for cancer.

1. Nanomedicine

  • It has shown promising results in cancer therapy.7
  • It utilizes the principles of nanotechnology in which highly engineered nanoparticles (NPs) of sizes less than 100 nm are used to actively or passively target drugs to cancer cells.7
  • These are the target-drug delivery systems that utilizes drugs with high solubility, biocompatibility, bioavailability, and multifunctionality.7,8
  • They act as multi-target inhibitors and nano-imaging tools (Figure 1).7
  • The use of polymeric and lipid based nano systems are one of the best alternatives for the central delivery of drugs in brain tumour.8
  • The possible approach of the nanomedicine would be combining drug or gene delivery with external stimuli, like hyperthermal, photothermal, or photodynamic (PDT) treatments, thereby attacking the cancer cells with various mechanisms.7
  • Nanomedicine may overcome the common disadvantages of conventional cancer treatment by providing7 –
    • High selectivity
    • Differentiating among healthy and cancer cells
    • Early diagnosis and molecular imaging methods

Figure 1: Nanotechnology in cancer therapy7

2. CAR-T cell therapy

  • Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-genetically modified T cells (CAR-T cells) have shown significant clinical responses and cancer remission in relapsed or refractory B-cell malignancies.9
  • This is a new form of adoptive T cell therapy (ACT), in which an artificial CAR redirects T cells endogenous antitumor activity towards a predefined tumor-associated antigen. This in turn eliminates a specific tumor.9
  • The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first CAR-T cell therapy in 2017 for the treatment of CD19-positive leukemias and lymphomas.9
  • The associated drawbacks of CAR-T cell therapy are:9
    • Specific life-threatening toxicities
    • Lack of efficacy in the treatment of solid tumors because of strong immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and lack of reliable tumor-specific targets

3. Radiomics and Pathomics

  • It is a systems-based approach developed to provide a better strategy to study and understand the complexity of cancer cell and related parameters.7
  • Tools have been developed that utilize computerized feature analysis methods for extracting sub-visual attributes for characterizing disease appearance and behaviour on radiographic (radiomics) and digitized pathology images (pathomics).7
  • It considers a large number of interrelated variables to identify a specific disease phenotype, such as:7
    • Gene expression profile
    • Tumour cellular architecture, and microenvironment (seen through histological image features)
    • Three-dimensional tissue architecture and vascularization (seen through dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI))
    • Metabolic features (seen through magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) or PET)
  • Radiomics extracts high-dimensional information from clinical images and clinical data, with or without associated gene expression to support evidence-based clinical decision-making.10
  • Radiomics’ analyses can be performed in tumour regions, metastatic lesions, as well as in normal tissues.10

4. Advancements in radiotherapy

  • Radiotherapy has been a mainstay in cancer treatment. However, studies reported resistance to radiotherapy in some cancer cells which is found to be related to altered mitochondria structure and the size. 7
  • The therapies that can regulate mitochondria function and metabolism and induce apoptosis may be the most effective anti-cancer agents.7
  • A novel radiosensitizer with dual anti-metabolic and anti-angiogenic activity for oesophageal (OAC) cancer resistance has been identified and patented that can significantly reduce both metabolic and anti-angiogenic activity in real time and in parallel with increasing radio sensitivity in an isogenic model of radioresistance.7

5. Cancer treatment vaccines

  • Cancer treatment vaccines act by strengthening the body’s natural defenses against the cancer.11
  • They are designed to be used in cancer patients where they act against cancer cells.11
  • Cancer cells are comprised of tumor-associated antigens which are not present in normal cells. Treatment vaccines recognize and interact with these antigens thereby destroying the respective cancer cells.11
  • Sipuleucel-T is a vaccine used for prostate cancer.11
  • T-VEC is used to treat some patients with melanoma that relapses after surgery.11
  • These vaccinations are associated with some serious side effects which can vary from person to person. For e.g. Sipuleucel-T can lead to stroke. It is deemed important to know about the side effects and what to do if they occur.11
  • The common side effects associated with cancer vaccine are flu-like symptoms such as Fever, weakness, chills, dizziness, muscle or joint pain, nausea/vomiting, low or high blood pressure, fatigue, headache, difficult breathing.11

We, at Turacoz Healthcare Solutions join hands to fight against the cancer by spreading the awareness about timely diagnosis and treatment of cancer. If cancer is detected at an earlier stage, there are high chances of successful treatment which in turn increases the chances of survival compared to diagnosis at advanced stages. Let us be aware, strong and brave – life is beautiful, and cancer can’t change it.

If you have any queries, email us at [email protected]

References

  1. Available at https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer . As accessed on Feb 03, 2020.
  2. What is cancer. Available at https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer . As accessed on Feb 03, 2020.
  3. Bray F, Ferlay J, Soerjomataram I, et al. Global cancer statistics 2018: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. CA: a cancer journal for clinicians 2018;68:394-424.
  4. WHO: latest global cancer data. Available at https://www.who.int/cancer/PRGlobocanFinal.pdf . Last accessed on Feb 03, 2020.
  5. Early screening of cancer. Available at https://www.who.int/cancer/detection/en/ . Last accessed on Feb 03, 2020.
  6. Cancer treatment. Available at https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment . Last accessed on Feb 03, 2020.
  7. Charmsaz S, Prencipe M, Kiely M, Pidgeon GP, Collins DM. Innovative Technologies Changing Cancer Treatment. Cancers (Basel). 2018;10(6):208.
  8. Cano A, Espina M, García ML. Recent advances on anti-tumor agents-loaded polymeric and lipid based nano-carriers for the treatment of brain cancer. Curr Pharm Des. 2020 Jan 16.
  9. Abreu TR, Fonseca NA, Gonçalves N, Moreira JN. Current challenges and emerging opportunities of CAR-T cell therapies J Control Release. 2019 Dec 30;319:246-261.
  10. Rizzo S, Botta F, Raimondi S, et al. Radiomics: the facts and the challenges of image analysis. Eur Radiol Exp. 2018;2(1):36.
  11. Cancer treatment vaccines. Available at https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/immunotherapy/cancer-treatment-vaccine . Last accessed on Feb 03, 2020.

Decoding breast cancer, its known facts and myths!

Cancer

Breast cancer is a growing concern as it is reported to be the most common cancer in women worldwide. About 1.7 million new cases and 5,22,000 deaths from breast cancer occur every year. The number of deaths due to breast cancer (3,24,000) are high, in low and middle-income countries.

Risk Factors of Breast Cancer

Risk factors of breast cancer can be divided in to 2 categories; non-modifiable and modifiable factors.

Non-modifiable factors

  • Older age: Women over 50 years are likely to suffer from breast cancer
  • Genetic mutations: Women who have inherited mutated genes such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer
  • Family history: If a woman has a first degree relative (mother, sister, or daughter) or multiple family members on either her mother’s or father’s side of the family suffering from the disease, she has higher chance of developing the disease. Also, a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer is high if she has a first-degree male relative with breast cancer, though this happens rarely in males
  • Exposure to radiation therapy: The chance of developing breast cancer is higher among those women who have undergone previous treatment using radiation therapy to chest or breast before the age of 30
  • Race: White women are slightly more likely to develop breast cancer than African American women
  • Reproductive history: Women who have early menstrual periods before age 12 and starting menopause after age 55 are more likely to develop breast cancer due to long exposure to hormones
  • Health/Personal history: Women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer in one breast, have increased risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer in the other breast in the future
  • Other factors: Women who took diethylstilbestrol during 1940s through the 1960s, have slightly increased chance of developing breast cancer

Modifiable factors

  • Being overweight and Obese: Overweight and obese women are likely to suffer from breast cancer
  • Alcoholism and smoking: Frequent alcohol consumption and smoking are found to increase the risk of developing breast cancer in women
  • Physical inactivity: Lack of physical activity and sedentary lifestyle is linked to increased risk of breast cancer
  • Poor diet: Diet with high saturated fatty acids and lack of fruits, and vegetables increase the risk of breast cancer
  • Hormonal replacement therapies: These are usually taken during menopause and can raise the risk of breast cancer specifically if taken for more than 5 years
  • Oral contraceptives: Some of oral contraceptives increase the chance of developing breast cancer

Warning Signs and Symptoms of Breast Cancer

It is always best to reach out to your healthcare practitioner, if you are experiencing any signs or symptoms. During the early stages of cancer, the person may suffer from any one or two of the symptoms.

 

Figure 1: Warning Signs of Breast Cancer

Myth and Truth                                                                                                   

  • Dairy products or drinking milk causes breast cancer: The truth is till now no studies have reported any link between dairy products or drinking milk and increased risk of breast cancer
  • Finding lump in your breast means you have breast cancer: It is not always true that finding lump in your breast means you have breast cancer. But it is always the best to consult a doctor if you find any changes
  • Breast cancer only affects women: Though rare, the truth is, it is estimated that each year approximately 2190 men suffer from breast cancer and 410 die. Thus, it is recommended for men also to check themselves and look for any changes and report the same to their doctor
  • Mammogram can cause breast cancer to spread: Many people fear breast cancer can spread due to breast compression while getting a mammogram. Also, the exposure to radiation is very little and its benefit outweighs the harm from radiation. It is recommended for women above 40 to get annual mammographic screening
  • If you have family history of breast cancer, you are also likely to get it: Studies report that, though at high risk, only 10% of breast cancer patients have family history of breast cancer. However, it is advised that if you have a first degree relative (mother, daughter, sister) with breast cancer below the age of 50, you should get diagnosis done 10 years prior to the age of your relative’s diagnosis. Your chance of getting breast cancer slightly increases if you have a second degree relative (grandmother, aunt) with the disease. However, if there are multiple generations diagnosed with breast cancer on the same side of the family, it means a cancer gene runs through your family and it is advised to get regular check-ups
  • Breast cancer is contagious: Breast cancer is the result of uncontrolled cell growth of mutated cells that begin to spread into other tissues within the breast. It is not contagious
  • If gene mutation BRCA1or BRCA2 is detected in your DNA, then you will get breast cancer: Not every cancer in such families is linked to a harmful mutation in one of these genes, not every woman who has a harmful BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation will develop breast and/or ovarian cancer. However, if these genes are detected in a woman, she is 5 times more likely to develop breast cancer compared to the normal one. If such mutations are detected in you, it is recommended to take proactive measures like taking hormonal therapy called tamoxifen or a surgical prevention approach
  • Antiperspirants and deodorants can cause breast cancer: No link has been reported between the use of antiperspirants/deodorants and development of breast cancer till now

What can you do to Prevent Breast Cancer?

  • Limit your alcohol consumption: It is recommended to limit the drinks to less than one drink a day, as even small amount increases risk
  • Don’t smoke: In premenopausal women, link between smoking and cancer has been found. Thus, it is advised to avoid smoking
  • Control your weight: Overweight and obese women tend to develop cancer, particularly after menopause. Thus, it is advised to be physically active and take healthy diet to minimize the risk of breast cancer or prevent it. Further, it is recommended to cut down on saturated fat and consume more fibre in your diet
  • Breast feeding: Recent studies reported that breast feeding tends to have a protective effect from cancer
  • Limit the dose and duration of hormonal therapy: Taking hormone combinations for more than 3 to 5 years can increase the risk of getting breast cancer. It is advised to replace the hormonal therapy with non-hormonal therapy. In case if it cannot be avoided, ask for low dose, and continue to visit your doctor to get monitoring of the length of time you are taking hormones.
  • Link between breast cancer and cumulative exposure to radiation over your lifetime are reported. Thus, such tests must be taken only when necessary
  • Chances of breast cancer decrease if you bear a child before 30 years of age

Thus, all women need to be aware of breasts cancer signs and symptoms. Self-examination will help to identify any changes in the breasts and if found consult healthcare professional at the earliest to confirm the diagnosis and initiate timely treatment.

Turacoz Healthcare Solutions aims at raising awareness about breast cancer to help women in early detection of breast cancer, if present. An early detection increases your chances for better treatment and recovery.

‘World No Tobacco Day’ (31st May 2018): Tobacco and Heart Disease.

Awareness Day/Month, Cancer, Disease and Treatment, , , , ,

World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) is celebrated every year on 31st May, since its beginning in 1988. The main aim to mark this day is to encourage a 24-hour period of abstinence from all forms of tobacco consumption around the world. It also aims to spread awareness about the widespread prevalence of tobacco use and the health risks associated with tobacco consumption. The resolution to celebrate 31 May as WNTD was passed by the World Health Assembly (WHA) in 1998 (WHA40.38). The World Health Organization (WHO) has continuously supported WNTD, every year for this campaign and decides on a theme for the day to create a more unified global message. The global theme for WNTD 2018 is – “Tobacco and Heart disease”. The theme focuses on the association between tobacco consumption and cardiovascular health and aims to inculcate the sense of refraining from tobacco use among general people.

Tobacco contains nicotine, a drug classified as potent parasympathomimetic stimulant. Nicotine is a poisonous alkaloid of the plant genus Nicotiana (family Solanaceae). The WHO declared tobacco as the world’s single greatest preventable cause of death in 2008.

Tobacco use is an important risk factor for the development of various diseases such as cancers (lung, blood, kidney, bladder, brain etc.), respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, peripheral vascular disease, pregnancy complications etc.

Key Facts from 2017 World Tobacco Reports

  • Worldwide, each year tobacco causes nearly 6 million deaths, and current trends show that tobacco use lead to more than 8 million deaths annually by 2030.
  • Almost every child regularly breathe air polluted by tobacco smoke in public places.
  • As per the WHO’s, Global Health Observatory (GHO) data 2016, 40% of children are exposed to second-hand tobacco smoke, accounting for over 600,000 deaths per year. Close to a third of those deaths were reported in children under the age of five and two-thirds were in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and South Asia.
  • In 2011, tobacco caused one-tenth of CVDs worldwide. About 12% of all heart disease deaths are due to the use of tobacco and second-hand smoke.
  • After high blood pressure, tobacco use is the second leading cause of CVD.

Aim of the World No Tobacco Day 2018

  • Highlighting the connection between the use of tobacco products and CVDs.
  • Increasing awareness within the masses to refrain from tobacco use and resist exposure to second-hand smoke to improve their cardiovascular health.
  • Promoting heart health by feasible government actions and public measures that can help to reduce the risks to heart health posed by tobacco.
  • Encouraging countries to include tobacco control in their national agenda.

Turacoz healthcare solutions, aims to increase awareness about the negative health impact of tobacco consumption and motivate them to refrain from the use of tobacco products. We must all join hands and raise our voice against both active and passive smoking so that a brighter and healthier future can be ensured for our younger generation and our Nation. Turacoz is a medical communications company, which offers services to healthcare professionals in clinical research, regulatory writing, publication writing, medico-marketing writing, and support for conducting medical advisory board meetings.

Recent Advancements in Cancer Diagnostics

Cancer

Global Cancer Diagnostics Market

The global cancer diagnostics market was estimated to be USD 16.55 billion in year 2016. It is expected to reach USD 232.7 billion by 2025 as per a new report released by Grand View Research, Inc. This boost in the cancer diagnostics market is majorly attributed to the advances in diagnostic technology. Although the newly developed diagnostic modalities remain costly, but they provide an incremental benefit.

Recently Developed Cancer Diagnostic Methods

  1. Magnetite Nanoparticles (MNPs)

Iron oxide, owing to their higher biocompatibility and least toxicity, is the only metal oxide nanoparticle that is approved for clinical use. These nanoparticles are used for diagnostic imaging to enhance image contrast as they accumulate selectively at tumour sites and thereby, provide precise details about tumour. Besides diagnostics, MNPs, when loaded with therapeutic agents such as daunorubicin, are used for the treatment of various cancers such as blood cancer, prostate cancer, etc. Their properties have also been harnessed to induce localized magnetic hyperthermia for cancer treatment.

With the recognition of MNP’s potential for theranostics (diagnostics + therapeutics), further researches are ongoing to develop new techniques for localization of non-palpable breast lesions and its applications in therapy for breast cancer and other tumours.

  1. Biosensors

Biosensor is a diagnostic device used to detect a biological analyte, i.e. tumour biomarkers (certain molecules/ proteins expressed and/or secreted by tumour cells). Biosensor rapidly analyses and measures the cancer biomarkers present and thereby helps in detection of cancer and its nature benign/malignant). In addition to diagnosis, biosensors also help in monitoring the efficacy of anticancer agents. They provide instant information to the treating physician at office (point of care) which greatly influence treatment planning and patient management. Their use is extended to diagnose wide range of cancers including lung cancer, oral cancer, breast cancer and many more.

A biosensor device is formed by three components, namely recognition component (detects signal), signal transducer (responsible for conversion of biological signal to electrical output), and processor (displays result). These are simple tool having huge potential for sensitive and specific detection of cancer biomarkers. Most of the currently available biosensors utilize single biomarker for detection of cancers. However, cancers usually express multiple biomarkers. Therefore, there is a need to develop biosensors with improved diagnostic accuracy and repeatability that can perform multiple analysis.

  1. Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS)

The advent of NGS technology have revolutionized the cancer diagnostics. In contrast to traditional DNA sequencing methods, simultaneous sequencing of numerous DNA fragments can be performed using NGS technique even without any prior knowledge about DNA sequences. This technique allows sequencing of complete genome within few days at a cost less than $1000/genome.

Presently, NGS technique is available in two types, namely short read sequencing and long read sequencing. The short-read technique is relatively cheaper and can read sequences that are less than 300 base pairs. The contrast long-read technique is costly and allows reading of sequences larger than 2.5 Kilo bases.

Cancer diagnostics is an evolving field and numerous researches are always underway to develop more advanced modalities. Turacoz Healthcare Solutions aims to keep everyone updated on the newer technologies and help spread awareness on the current and upcoming trends.

Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell Therapy: An Emerging Therapy for Cancer

Cancer,

Cancer is the second most common cause of death after heart disease. The treatment of cancer depends upon the type of cancer and at what stage it is being diagnosed. Due to low socioeconomic status and low literacy rate, patients often opt traditional methods and alternative medicines instead of seeking proper treatment. There are numerous methods such as surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, stem cell transplant, etc., which are being used for the treatment of cancer. However, the major concerns associated with these therapies are their adverse effects and the recurrence of the disease. Nowadays, immunotherapy is budding as a promising method for the treatment of cancer as it is associated with minimal adverse effects and low risk of disease recurrence.

The emergence of immunotherapy, i.e., using body’s own immune system, to fight with cancer has been seen from the past two decades. William B. Coley, father of immunotherapy, was the first person to use immune system to treat cancer in the late 19th century. Recently, researchers have developed and approved a new Chimeric Antigen receptor (CAR) T- cell therapy for the treatment of cancer.

CAR T-cell Therapy: A Promising Therapy to Fight Cancer

CAR T-cell is a new therapy that has shown favorable result in the treatment of the cancer. This therapy uses T-cells from the patient’s cell which are further modified to target cancer cells. The therapy is a type of cellular therapy which functions by using body’s own immune system to destroy cancer cells.

Since the treatment involves extraction of T-cells from the blood, the patients may face the risk of infection and may temporarily have low blood cell counts and need transfusion support.

CAR T-cell Therapy: Updated Status

CAR T-cell therapy has been found to be effective in the treatment of cancer and also received approval from Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for cancer treatment. Novartis was the first ever company to receive the United States (US) FDA approval for CAR T-cell (Kymriah (TM) (CTL019)) therapy in August 2017 after years of research and clinical trials. Kymriah is the first gene therapy that is approved for the pediatric and young adult patients with a form of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Kite’s Yescarta (Axicabtagene Ciloleucel) is the second most CAR T-cell therapy which got FDA approval in October 2017 to treat adults with certain types of large B-cell lymphoma. Yescarta is the first approved therapy for certain types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).

An ongoing phase I clinical trial (NCT00968760) is focusing on the use of gene transfer in patients with advanced B-cell lymphoma. Another interventional clinical trial, in phase I (NCT02186860), aims to determine safety and effectiveness of third generation CART-cells in patients with refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The results of both the clinical trials are awaited.

CAR T-cell therapy: Pharmaceutical development

Several companies such as Novartis, Bluebird bio, Kite Pharma and Juno therapeutics are in lead to develop CAR T-cell therapy. Recently, Gilead and Kite Pharma associated with Pfizer to work on a combination of Yescarta-Utomilumab, which could be beneficial in treating certain blood cancers.

CAR T-cell therapy is one of the recent advancements in the field of cancer immunotherapy and Turacoz Healthcare Solutions (THS) aims to keep professionals updated on the recent advancement in cancer therapeutics and patient care. Turacoz is dedicated in providing scientific/medical writing support to the industry and academia. With expertise in several clinical trial related documents such as Investigator Brochures (IBs), Protocols, Clinical Study Reports (CSRs) and Common Technical Documents (CTDs), Prescribing Information (PI), we aim to deliver the best quality and guideline compliant documents to the Pharma and different sectors of healthcare Industry.