Blood Cancer Treatment:โ A New Era of ‘Cure’ and Remission
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Madrid – A notable shift is underway in how doctors โขapproach blood cancers, moving beyond terms like “disease-free” or “survival” to embrace โthe language of “cure” andโ “complete remission.” This change reflects the arrival of โinnovative therapies,โค notably CAR-T cellโฃ therapy and gene therapies, that are โฃachieving unprecedented โsuccessโฃ in controlling-andโ potentially eliminating-previously chronic or incurable blood-related diseases.
The โขAdvantage of Studying Blood
Hematologistsโข and oncologists haveโ historically faced different challenges in treating cancers. Analyzing blood cells is โcomparatively easier than accessing and studying tissues like neurons or solid โฃorgans, through routine blood tests or more complex techniques. This accessibility has accelerated research, particularly with the โฃadvent of mass DNA sequencing, which allows for the identification of alterations andโ markers associated with malignant conditions like leukemia, โคand also โbenign conditions like thrombosis and anemia. this detailed understanding paves the way for personalized treatment โฃstrategies.
Did You Know? Mass DNAโ sequencing has revolutionized the ability to pinpoint genetic markers for both cancerousโ and non-cancerous blood disorders.
CAR-T Cell Therapy: A Revolutionary Approach
At the forefront โof this progress is CAR-T cell therapy, a technique that has already transformed the โขlives of approximately 38,000โ patients โworldwide with blood cancers. The process involves extracting a patient’s cells, modifying them in a laboratory to โequipโค T-cells-a type โฃof white blood cell responsible forโค immune response-to โคrecognize and attack tumor cells, โคand โthen reinfusing them backโค into the patient. CAR-T therapy uniquely combines cellular, immunotherapy, and gene therapy approaches.
The Impact in Spain
CAR-T therapy became available โin Spain in 2017 and has since beenโ approved for specific types of โคleukemias, lymphomas, and myelomas,โ primarily for patients experiencing relapse after other treatments. The remarkable โaspect of CAR-T therapy is its ability to activate the patient’s own immuneโ system, leading toโข cures or significant remission inโข many cases.A study at the Clรญnic Hospital in barcelona showed complete remission in overโ halfโ of the 502 patients treated with CAR-T therapy.
Pro tip: CAR-T therapy is mostโ effective for patients who have not responded โคto traditional cancer treatments.
Gene Therapy: Targeting theโค Root Cause
Complementing CAR-T therapy, gene therapies aim to correct the underlying genetic defects that cause disease. These therapies involve adjusting, โฃrepairing, replacing, adding, or deleting genetic sequences. Unlike treatmentsโ that merely alleviate symptoms, geneโ therapiesโ address the root cause โof theโค illness, offering the potentialโข for lasting correction.
| Therapy Type | Mechanism | Approved Uses โฃ(Spain) |
|---|---|---|
| CAR-T Cell Therapy | Modifies โT-cellsโค to target cancer cells | Relapsed leukemias,โ lymphomas, โคmyelomas |
| gene Therapy | correctsโ underlyingโ geneticโ defects | Hemophilia B, pending approval for Hemophilia
Madrid, Spain – A groundbreaking study conducted by the public healthcare system in Madrid has revealed that transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy doesn’t just slow the progression of primary progressive aphasia (PPA), but in some cases, appears too improve cognitive function compared to patients who don’t receive the treatment. The findings, spearheaded by Dr. ana Guiu, a neurologist at the hospital Universitario La Paz, offer a potential non-pharmacological intervention for this debilitating neurodegenerative disease. PPA, a rare neurological disorder affecting language abilities, is often linked to underlying conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia. the study, involving 35 patients diagnosed with PPA at La Paz University Hospital over a two-year period (2022-2024), demonstrated that TMS therapy, administered three times weekly for six months, led to stabilization or even enhancement of linguistic skills in a critically important portion of participants. Specifically,60% of patients showed no further decline in language function,while 20% exhibited measurable improvements in verbal fluency and comprehension. “contrary to expectations, we observed that TMS therapy is not necessarily slower, or even in some aspects improves compared to those who do not receive the therapy,” Dr. Guiu stated in a press conference held on May 15, 2024. The research team utilized a 1 Hz TMS protocol targeting the left inferior frontal gyrus, a brain region crucial for language processing. This discovery marks a significant advancement for PPA patients and their families, opening a new avenue for non-pharmacological interventions capable of possibly altering the course of neurodegenerative diseases. Currently, speech therapy remains the primary treatment option, but its effectiveness is often limited by the progressive nature of the illness. The study suggests TMS could offer a complementary or alternative approach. PPA is characterized by a gradual loss of linguistic capabilities and can also impact other cognitive domains, leading to behavioral changes. The condition typically affects individuals between the ages of 55 and 80, with an estimated prevalence of 5-10 cases per 100,000 people. Early diagnosis is often challenging, as symptoms can mimic other forms of dementia. Prior to this research, no treatment, aside from speech therapy, had demonstrated consistent benefits for PPA. The Madrid healthcare system is now exploring the possibility of expanding access to TMS therapy for PPA patients, with plans to establish specialized treatment centers at several major hospitals across the Community of Madrid, including hospital 12 de Octubre and Hospital Gregorio Maraรฑรณn. Further research is planned to investigate the long-term effects of TMS and to identify which patients are most likely to benefit from the therapy. |