I have posted before about the topic of cancer. More specifically, I wrote around the topic of breast cancer. So anyone how has read that will know that I don't personally know anyone with cancer. But I do know people who's friends or themselves have been effected by the horrible disease.
But, today I wanted to report on a news story which I read the other day. It was reporting on the Nobel Prize winner for Medicine. This year the winners were James Allison and Tasuku Honjo for their work on new treatments for cancer. This new treatment has be remarked as a new pillar in cancer therapy by the Nobel Prize committee and it took more than 30 years to develop. What makes this new treatment so special is that it could potentially help the body to fight cancer by itself. As I understand it, there were no chemotherapy, no radiotherapy or any other normal but seriously invasive treatments needed. By winning the Nobel Prize, they received the prize money which is 9millon Swedish kronor. In pound sterling, is currently £760,346.28 and in US dollars that equates to 999,488.70US$. It'll be split between them. But, Honjo stated that he would be returning to his research to save more cancer patients with immune therapy.
What is the New Treatment?
This new treatment is known as Immune Checkpoint Blockade. Immune Checkpoint Blockade works by targeting the immune system and triggering it to attack the tumour cells. Unlike the other treatments such as surgery and radiation therapies, all which have won Nobel Prizes, the Immune Checkpoint Blockage pathway doesn't target the cancer cells. Instead the immune system is the target. The Immune Checkpoint Blockage hits at the brakes or checkpoints of the immune system.
Allison and Honjo had started on this development separately in the 90's. Allison was researching into a protein named CTLA-4 which works like a brake on the immune system. Specifically, it would attach to T-cells (one of the major immune cells in the system). In 1994, Allison with the help of his colleagues developed an antibody which bound to CTLA-4. This stopped the brake. Therefore, allowing the T-cells to do it's job which is to destroy all foreign cells without any limitations.
Meanwhile, Honjo was working into another protein named PD-1 which also acts like a brake on the immune system. This time there was a different pathway involved.
Both of these proteins have been vital with the fight against cancer. It been over 100 years in the making - using the immune system against cancer and progress was limited. Then, these proteins came about.
Now because of this new development, there is some much hope for certain types of cancer such as Lung and Advanced Melanoma (The most dangerous of skin cancer). These types of cancer are some importance as they were previously thought as being untreatable. But, a clinical trail in 2010 found that CTLA-4 worked on cases of advanced melanoma. Then another clinical trail in 2012 found the PD-1 worked on cases of all types of cancer with Lung cancer included.
The new drug is called Ipilimumab. Or you might know it as it's brand name Yervoy. It is specifically an antibody which stopped/inhibits the protein CTLA-4. In 2001, one of the first people where given this drug as part of phase 1 trials. This patient was Sharon Belvin who's tumours went within 6 months of receiving the drug. The result is even more fantastic when you hear there was only one injection of Ipilimumab. Then in 2011, Ipilimumab was approved by the US Food and Drug Administation. Then it was the first true example of a checkpoint inhibitor drug given to patients. Plus, its not just the US. The NHS also are using this drug to combat advanced melanoma.
PD-1 has been seen as more effective then CTLA-4. Positive results have been announced in clinical trials with cancer cases of Lung, renal, lymphoma and melanoma. Additionally, PD-1 might also be the treatment for metastatic cancer. Metastatic Cancer is when the cancer has spread to other organs and tissue type. Which as some may be able to guess, has been considered as untreatable. Further clinical trials suggest that both protein should be targeted which should be more effective in advanced melanoma cases.
If you want to read more. Click on the word 'Link'
But, today I wanted to report on a news story which I read the other day. It was reporting on the Nobel Prize winner for Medicine. This year the winners were James Allison and Tasuku Honjo for their work on new treatments for cancer. This new treatment has be remarked as a new pillar in cancer therapy by the Nobel Prize committee and it took more than 30 years to develop. What makes this new treatment so special is that it could potentially help the body to fight cancer by itself. As I understand it, there were no chemotherapy, no radiotherapy or any other normal but seriously invasive treatments needed. By winning the Nobel Prize, they received the prize money which is 9millon Swedish kronor. In pound sterling, is currently £760,346.28 and in US dollars that equates to 999,488.70US$. It'll be split between them. But, Honjo stated that he would be returning to his research to save more cancer patients with immune therapy.
What is the New Treatment?
This new treatment is known as Immune Checkpoint Blockade. Immune Checkpoint Blockade works by targeting the immune system and triggering it to attack the tumour cells. Unlike the other treatments such as surgery and radiation therapies, all which have won Nobel Prizes, the Immune Checkpoint Blockage pathway doesn't target the cancer cells. Instead the immune system is the target. The Immune Checkpoint Blockage hits at the brakes or checkpoints of the immune system.
Allison and Honjo had started on this development separately in the 90's. Allison was researching into a protein named CTLA-4 which works like a brake on the immune system. Specifically, it would attach to T-cells (one of the major immune cells in the system). In 1994, Allison with the help of his colleagues developed an antibody which bound to CTLA-4. This stopped the brake. Therefore, allowing the T-cells to do it's job which is to destroy all foreign cells without any limitations.
Meanwhile, Honjo was working into another protein named PD-1 which also acts like a brake on the immune system. This time there was a different pathway involved.
Both of these proteins have been vital with the fight against cancer. It been over 100 years in the making - using the immune system against cancer and progress was limited. Then, these proteins came about.
Now because of this new development, there is some much hope for certain types of cancer such as Lung and Advanced Melanoma (The most dangerous of skin cancer). These types of cancer are some importance as they were previously thought as being untreatable. But, a clinical trail in 2010 found that CTLA-4 worked on cases of advanced melanoma. Then another clinical trail in 2012 found the PD-1 worked on cases of all types of cancer with Lung cancer included.
The new drug is called Ipilimumab. Or you might know it as it's brand name Yervoy. It is specifically an antibody which stopped/inhibits the protein CTLA-4. In 2001, one of the first people where given this drug as part of phase 1 trials. This patient was Sharon Belvin who's tumours went within 6 months of receiving the drug. The result is even more fantastic when you hear there was only one injection of Ipilimumab. Then in 2011, Ipilimumab was approved by the US Food and Drug Administation. Then it was the first true example of a checkpoint inhibitor drug given to patients. Plus, its not just the US. The NHS also are using this drug to combat advanced melanoma.
PD-1 has been seen as more effective then CTLA-4. Positive results have been announced in clinical trials with cancer cases of Lung, renal, lymphoma and melanoma. Additionally, PD-1 might also be the treatment for metastatic cancer. Metastatic Cancer is when the cancer has spread to other organs and tissue type. Which as some may be able to guess, has been considered as untreatable. Further clinical trials suggest that both protein should be targeted which should be more effective in advanced melanoma cases.
If you want to read more. Click on the word 'Link'
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