Immune discovery 'may treat all cancer' (BBC News)

[JediTimeBoy]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51182451

Haven't seen this posted yet, feel free to "treat" accordingly if it has lol:


"A newly-discovered part of our immune system could be harnessed to treat all cancers, say scientists."

...

"What have they found?

Our immune system is our body's natural defence against infection, but it also attacks cancerous cells.

The scientists were looking for "unconventional" and previously undiscovered ways the immune system naturally attacks tumours.

What they found was a T-cell inside people's blood. This is an immune cell that can scan the body to assess whether there is a threat that needs to be eliminated.

The difference is this one could attack a wide range of cancers.

"There's a chance here to treat every patient," researcher Prof Andrew Sewell told the BBC.

He added: "Previously nobody believed this could be possible.

"It raises the prospect of a 'one-size-fits-all' cancer treatment, a single type of T-cell that could be capable of destroying many different types of cancers across the population." "

Full story via the link.

 

[Orange Piccolo]

Treat, but not cure.

Better than nothing, but that seems kinda shady. And by that I mean, assuming a cure for cancer was ever found, I always felt they'd just monetize it.

 

[thesoapster]

Here we go again!

 

[Zukuu]

And that's the last we'll hear of it.

 

[Typhon]

I'm skeptical. It seems ever year there is some revolutionary treatment and nothing ever comes of it.

 

[DiipuSurotu]

They didn't cure cancer. They're just moving faster toward a future treatment.

 

[Xando]

May or may not

 

[Tapiozona]

And that's the last we'll here of it.

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Yup. A end all cure like this would never see light of day so long as big pharma exists

 

[JediTimeBoy]

I know that it's not a new thing, but I'm fascinated with the approach of modifying our own cells to potentially create cures.

 

[Deleted member 13645]

From discussion I've seen around this one, there's a lot more positivity around this discovery than most of the "cure for cancer found!" research we see go public. This seems like a really promising thing. I'm no doctor to understand most of it, but I'd love for something like this to pan out. After a few close brushes, cancer is honestly one of the most terrifying things to me.

 

[msdstc]

I feel like we hear this every few months sadly :(. Cancer, heart disease, arthritis, and senses loss (hearing, eye sight, etc.) are the big boys that we always hear about breakthroughs and nothing comes of it.

I read an article earlier this year about the "draino for arteries". When I went to search for it again a few months later, I found several articles on google with the exact same quote, only with a different year on each article. One from this year, one from 2017, one from 2013, and even one with the exact same quote from 2003.

 

[msdstc]

Yup. A end all cure like this would never see light of day so long as big pharma exists

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I don't really believe that (edit- no chance), I genuinely believe we don't have a cure yet. A lot of people think we have all this magic when it comes to health, but there are so many basic things we still haven't figured out such as hair loss, arthritis, weight issues, etc.

Edit- and glad others feel the same way haha. Wasn't sure eras stance on this, but comments like this are insane.

 

[JediTimeBoy]

The part that stuck out most to me, was the first sentence:

"A newly-discovered part of our immune system could be harnessed to treat all cancers, say scientists."

 

[Mugsy]

Remember a bit of skepticism is always healthy with science news

source

 

[Lothar]

I feel like I've been reading stuff like this since the 90s.

 

[Brass Body Dave]

Yup. A end all cure like this would never see light of day so long as big pharma exists

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please. that's absurd.

 

[Calabi]

And that's the last we'll here of it.

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Yeah it really will likely be the case, we're only have a treatment for Ebola due to one persistent researcher, if left to the market and pharma shitcunts then it won't see the light of day.

 

[Deleted member 46948]

Yup. A end all cure like this would never see light of day so long as big pharma exists

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I rolled my eyes so hard I literally glimpsed my brain stem. I wouldn't expect dumb takes like this here of all places.

 

[CelestialAtom]

I'll divert from the pessimism here and mention that I'm excited for potential discoveries such as this. Moments like these are why I fucking love everything about Science.

 

[CrankyJay]

Sometimes the cynic in me thinks some group of men in a dark room smoking cigars put a stop to these things because it would be bad for business.

 

[Aaronrules380]

Yup. A end all cure like this would never see light of day so long as big pharma exists

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rich people get cancer too

 

[Zojirushi]

Riiiiight...

 

[WhiskerFrisker]

If there is, in fact, a cure for cancer and big pharma companies haven't released intentionally- a chance that my recently passed grandma could've lived...

I'd have to become the Punisher. I hope it isn't true. I don't think it could be possible. Truly people wouldn't be that vile in the name of profit.

 

[RedOnePunch]

I feel like we hear this every few months sadly :(. Cancer, heart disease, arthritis, and senses loss (hearing, eye sight, etc.) are the big boys that we always hear about breakthroughs and nothing comes of it.

I read an article earlier this year about the "draino for arteries". When I went to search for it again a few months later, I found several articles on google with the exact same quote, only with a different year on each article. One from this year, one from 2017, one from 2013, and even one with the exact same quote from 2003.

Click to shrink...

Cell therapy is a real thing and it works. It's just not as easy as people think, especially something that can be mass produced. Everyone's body is different. Right now there are a lot of start ups trying to create a universal treatment but the body rejects it.

 

[Ogodei]

I'm skeptical. It seems ever year there is some revolutionary treatment and nothing ever comes of it.

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Those contribute to vastly improved survival rates for many types of cancers over time. It's a world of difference for some diagnoses versus 20 years ago, or in some cases even 5 years ago.

 

[Dekim]

Please remember, people, that science reporting is often hyperbolic.

 

[Gaius Cassius]

And that's the last we'll here of it.

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Almost makes me imagine an Indiana Jones esque warehouse where it gets locked up to be ignored by the powers that be (and TOP MEN) right next to cold fusion and proof of alien life. I guess that's a bit morbid.

 

[Aaronrules380]

It's worth noting that clinical testing is a long an arduous process that can take years so even if this does end up being legit, it'll be a long time before it can actually make an impact

 

[Huff]

1. Immuno/targeted therapy has been going on for years with good success

2. hep c should have proven that companies are trying for cures and there is mass money in curing diseases

 

[Rosé Fighter]

T-Cell? What if it evolves into a T-virus

 

[JediTimeBoy]

Here's some of the science-y stuff from the findings referred to by the BBC:

"Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-independent, T cell–mediated targeting of cancer cells would allow immune destruction of malignancies in all individuals. Here, we use genome-wide CRISPR–Cas9 screening to establish that a T cell receptor (TCR) recognized and killed most human cancer types via the monomorphic MHC class I-related protein, MR1, while remaining inert to noncancerous cells. Unlike mucosal-associated invariant T cells, recognition of target cells by the TCR was independent of bacterial loading. Furthermore, concentration-dependent addition of vitamin B-related metabolite ligands of MR1 reduced TCR recognition of cancer cells, suggesting that recognition occurred via sensing of the cancer metabolome. An MR1-restricted T cell clone mediated in vivo regression of leukemia and conferred enhanced survival of NSG mice. TCR transfer to T cells of patients enabled killing of autologous and nonautologous melanoma. These findings offer opportunities for HLA-independent, pan-cancer, pan-population immunotherapies "

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41590-019-0578-8

The rest is behind a paywall unfortunately.

Any science peeps or medical peeps able to translate into English?

 

[Alcoremortis]

Good grief, they didn't even link the paper, they just linked to the entire Nature site. What sort of citation is that? And from the BBC?

This is the actual paper, for anyone interested and who has university access: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41590-019-0578-8

 

[Maligna]

I'm skeptical. It seems ever year there is some revolutionary treatment and nothing ever comes of it.

Click to shrink...

I dread the day when they announce, "We've definitively cured cancer, but it's a couple years off before it's available for the broader public" and then a bunch of unfortunate people die of cancer in the meantime.

 

[Komo]

Didn't they actually already say this isn't something that even remotely has human uses yet?

 

[Aaronrules380]

To give more context to my last post, clinical testing usually takes over a decade. And that's assuming they're even at the clinical testing phase since a whole lot of work needs to be done before you can even get there

 

[Faenix1]

Treat, but not cure.

Better than nothing, but that seems kinda shady. And by that I mean, assuming a cure for cancer was ever found, I always felt they'd just monetize it.

Click to shrink...

I fully believe there will never be a cure. An annual treatment that works almost 100% is what I honestly see the best outcome being. Until we stop having for profit companies developing drugs.

 

[Aaronrules380]

I dread the day when they announce, "We've definitively cured cancer, but it's a couple years off before it's available for the broader public" and then a bunch of unfortunate people die of cancer in the meantime.

Click to shrink...

I mean, this is how any drug works because we need comprehensive testing to make sure the drug is actually safe and works as intended. The alternative is unleashing many useless (and expensive) or even very harmful drugs onto the market

 

[EloquentM]

is this it? (didn't read for obvious reasons)

 

[Replicant]

Treat, but not cure.

Better than nothing, but that seems kinda shady. And by that I mean, assuming a cure for cancer was ever found, I always felt they'd just monetize it.

Click to shrink...

You cannot cure cancer.

 

[Maligna]

I mean, this is how any drug works because we need comprehensive testing to make sure the drug is actually safe and works as intended. The alternative is unleashing many useless (and expensive) or even very harmful drugs onto the market

Click to shrink...

Oh, I know. But I can't imagine the despair/rage I'd have dying of cancer knowing a cure is coming just a bit too late for me.

 

[Alric]

T-cell.... That's too close. Definitely an umbrella resident evil 3 promotion.

 

[laoni]

I had a treatment for a specific type of cancer using T-cells, and, CAR-T treatment is also based off T-cells, so, it's definitely an avenue that can be effective.

I'm skeptical. It seems ever year there is some revolutionary treatment and nothing ever comes of it.

Click to shrink...

A lot of these revolutionary treatments can be expensive, limited, and not widely available, even years into them actually being used on patients. And, a lot of them focus on the hardest cases. Like, the T-cell treatment I had, it requires a T-cell donor, usually about 2-3 weeks lead in time, and it's pretty much targeted towards a very specific subset of post-bone marrow transplant complications. It's only available in 1 hospital regularly in Australia, and everywhere else has to request it, or do as I did and get lucky and have a clinical trial open in your hospital.

I would be certainly dead without it, and the literature is pointing towards this becoming the gold-standard of care for these post-transplant complications. But they need studies like the one I was in (The clinical trial was seeing if they could establish a donor bank of T-cells that could then be transported around Australia as needed so treatment could be distributed without that 2-3 week lead in time) to help establish a wider reach for the treatment, to make this the gold standard.

 

[ameleco]

You cannot cure cancer.

Click to shrink...

Not with that attitude!

 

[Deleted member 8468]

This isn't an end all cure. It's another treatment option that may or may not be better than other options.

I've had some personal experience talking with cancer doctors. Experimental treatments are being worked on all the time that are often very specific to the type and advancement of cancer in a patient, we just don't hear about them because of the specificity. "Cancer" manifests in many different ways that are unique and need to be treated in different ways, with radiation and chemo being the most common. A best treatment plan has more to do with the specifics of what's going on witb a patient. Both times I saw this with my family we had wildly different experiences and options, that even changed as one treatment plan was progressing. We were not a wealthy family or had any kind of amazing health care, and this was all in the US.

Plainly assuming money can or cannot help your options fails to realize how fucked we all are with cancer.

 

[RedOnePunch]

I fully believe there will never be a cure. An annual treatment that works almost 100% is what I honestly see the best outcome being. Until we stop having for profit companies developing drugs.

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no that's not how it works currently. there are treatments right now that are a one time injection Specifically made for your body For that specific cancer.

 

[Aaronrules380]

You cannot cure cancer.

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I mean technically you can cure an individual's cancer (and in fact we do it all the time even now for certain cancers that have only progressed so far). When people say you can't cure cancer, they're talking about how cancer isn't a single disease, it's many many conditions that share similar characteristics. This article is claiming they're approach will work on every cancer type so whether they're arguing for a treatment or a cure doesn't really matter in that regard

 

[thewienke]

Those contribute to vastly improved survival rates for many types of cancers over time. It's a world of difference for some diagnoses versus 20 years ago, or in some cases even 5 years ago.

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Came to basically echo this.

Medicine has come a long, long way in the past several years and decades especially in something so heavily funded as cancer research. Those hyperbolic claims of yesterday (hence, people saying that they always read these things) probably resulted in some cancers going from death sentences to increased lifespans of 5, 10, 15, 20 years or even being able to put some of them into remission.

 

[Hours Left]

Hurry up please.

 

[Baji Boxer]

I feel like I've been reading stuff like this since the 90s.

Click to shrink...

Immunotherapy for cancer is something that has been successfuly used for awhile now, and is constantly researched. It's only good for certain types of cancers though, and to varying degrees. I do recall multiple articles over the years hyperbolically declaring this as a possible "cure" for cancer.

 

[Aaronrules380]

Also people are "cured" of cancer all the time already right now, in that we have a number of ways of removing all the cancer cells in a person's body under the right conditions. The issue is that these cures usually contain a lot of invasive treatments like chemo, and aren't super reliable since missing a single cancer cell (which is very easy due to a number of properties that many types of cancers have) can potentially open the door for the cancer to go into remission. But there are tons of people who get cancer, catch it early, and get the tumors removed and proceed to live the rest of their life cancer free.