Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers. Many people only find out they have it after the disease has already spread to other parts of their body.
By that time, it is very hard to treat. For patients whose cancer has spread, the chance of living five years is only about 2 to 3 percent. Most patients only survive for a few months after diagnosis.
A group of scientists at UCLA may have found a new way to fight this cancer. They have created a new kind of immunotherapy that uses special immune cells to find and destroy pancreatic cancer cells, even when they have spread to other organs. This new therapy is called CAR-NKT cell therapy.
Dr. Lili Yang, the lead scientist of the study, explained that this treatment can attack both the main tumor and the parts of cancer that have spread.
What makes this therapy even more exciting is that it can be made in large batches and stored, ready to use. Each dose costs about $5,000, which is much cheaper than current treatments that can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and take weeks to prepare.
Most new cell therapies work well on blood cancers but not on solid tumors like pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic tumors are tough and are protected by thick layers of tissue. They also hide from the immune system by changing how they look at the molecular level.
To solve this, the UCLA team used a rare type of immune cell called NKT cells. They added a molecule to these cells so they can recognize a protein called mesothelin, which is common on pancreatic cancer cells.
This made the NKT cells strong cancer fighters, able to attack tumors in several ways at once. Even if the cancer tries to change and escape, the cells still find ways to kill it.
Another problem with pancreatic cancer is that it often spreads to places like the liver and lungs. These are hard areas for normal immune cells to reach. But the CAR-NKT cells were able to travel to these areas in lab tests using mice.
The researchers used advanced models that are closer to human pancreatic cancer than usual lab tests. Even in these tough conditions, the therapy worked well.
Dr. Caius Radu, another researcher on the team, explained that many other treatments fail in real patients even though they worked in simple lab tests. The fact that this therapy worked in more realistic models is very promising.
The CAR-NKT cells also have strong navigation systems that help them find tumors anywhere in the body. Whether the cancer is in the lungs, liver, or pancreas, these cells move to where the tumor is and start fighting.
In all the lab tests, the therapy slowed tumor growth and helped the animals live longer. The cells stayed active even in the stressful environment around the tumor and didn’t lose their power over time.
Another big advantage of this new therapy is that it can be made from donated stem cells and used in anyone. Unlike older cell therapies that must be made from each patient’s own cells, these can be prepared in advance. One donor can provide enough cells for thousands of treatments.
This therapy might also help patients with other types of cancer. Mesothelin is also found in breast, ovarian, and lung cancers. The UCLA team has already tested it in lab studies for breast and ovarian cancers and found it effective.
Many people have already contacted the team, asking if this treatment can help their loved ones. The researchers are now getting ready to start clinical trials in real patients.
Dr. Yang said that patients with pancreatic cancer need better options now. Their new treatment is strong, safe, and much cheaper than others. The next important step is to see if it works as well in people as it did in the lab.
In summary, this study shows a major step forward in fighting pancreatic cancer. The new CAR-NKT cell therapy could reach tumors in hard-to-reach places, stay strong in harsh conditions, and offer a cheaper and faster treatment option. While the therapy is still being tested, the results so far bring real hope to a disease that has long been very difficult to treat.
If you care about cancer, please read studies that artificial sweeteners are linked to higher cancer risk, and how drinking milk affects risks of heart disease and cancer.
For more health information, please see recent studies about the best time to take vitamins to prevent heart disease, and results showing vitamin D supplements strongly reduces cancer death.
The study is published in PNAS.
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