Gene therapy offers hope for untreatable cancers | DW News
Summary
TLDRA teenager in the UK has become cancer-free following a groundbreaking treatment for leukemia called base editing. This innovative therapy involves genetically engineering immune cells to target and eliminate cancerous ones. Six months post-treatment, the patient shows no signs of cancer, offering hope for the future of cancer treatment. Dr. David Liu, one of the inventors of base editing, explains how this technology can correct genetic 'misspellings' and has the potential to treat a wide range of diseases. The success of this case, led by Dr. Waseem Qasim at UCL, marks a significant step forward in the field of immuno-oncology.
Takeaways
- 🌟 A teenager in the UK has become cancer-free after a new treatment for leukemia called 'base editing'.
- 🧬 Base editing is a technique that involves altering the patient's DNA to fight diseases like cancer.
- 🛠️ The treatment involves genetically engineering new immune cells to target and eliminate cancerous ones.
- 🎓 Dr. David Liu, a Harvard professor, is one of the inventors of base editing and explains its potential in medicine.
- 🔍 Base editors are molecular machines that can convert one DNA letter to another at a specific sequence of interest.
- 💊 The treatment has the potential to correct genetic diseases and make precise changes for fighting diseases like leukemia.
- 🏥 Alyssa was the first patient to undergo this experimental treatment after conventional treatments failed.
- 🚀 Six months post-treatment, Alyssa's cancer is undetectable, offering hope for the future of cancer treatment.
- 🔬 The approach taken in Alyssa's treatment was innovative, focusing on reprogramming T cells to target her cancer without harming her own cells.
- 🌍 There are ongoing clinical trials for base editing in treating different diseases in various countries.
- 🤝 The leadership and scientific vision of Dr. Waseem Qureshi at UCL led the clinical trial for Alyssa's experimental therapy.
- 🔄 While Alyssa is currently cancer-free, there is always a chance of cancer returning, and base editing could potentially be reapplied if needed.
Q & A
What is the name of the new treatment for leukemia mentioned in the script?
-The new treatment for leukemia is called base editing.
What does base editing involve in terms of altering the patient's DNA?
-Base editing involves genetically engineering new immune cells that hunt down the cancerous ones by making precise single letter changes in the DNA.
How did doctors perceive Alyssa's leukemia before she underwent base editing treatment?
-Doctors feared Alyssa's leukemia was incurable after all conventional treatments failed.
What was the outcome of Alyssa's treatment with base editing six months after the procedure?
-Six months after the treatment, the cancer was no longer detectable in Alyssa's body.
What is the potential of base editing according to the doctors in the script?
-Doctors believe that base editing technology could help fight a wide range of diseases beyond just leukemia.
Who is Dr. David Liu, and what is his connection to base editing?
-Dr. David Liu is one of the inventors of base editing, a professor, and director of the American Institute of Transformative Technologies in healthcare at Harvard University.
How does base editing work according to Dr. David Liu's explanation?
-Base editors are molecular machines engineered from natural components that can convert one DNA letter to a different letter of our choosing at a specific sequence of interest.
What is the significance of the approach taken in Alyssa's treatment as opposed to traditional cancer treatments?
-Instead of attacking the cancer cells directly by changing their DNA sequence, the treatment made precise base edits in donor's T cells, reprogramming them to target Alyssa's cancer without harming her cells.
What is the current status of Alyssa's health after the base editing treatment?
-Alyssa is currently cancer-free, although there is always a chance of cancer returning even after remission.
Are there any ongoing clinical trials using base editing for other diseases?
-Yes, there are four clinical trials ongoing in four different countries using base editing to treat different diseases.
What was the role of Dr. Waseem Qureshi in Alyssa's treatment?
-Dr. Waseem Qureshi led the clinical trial at UCL (University College London) and decided to try the experimental base editing therapy on Alyssa to give her the best chance of recovery.
Outlines
🧬 Breakthrough in Cancer Treatment: Base Editing
A teenager in the United Kingdom has become cancer-free after receiving a revolutionary treatment for leukemia known as base editing. This treatment involves the alteration of the patient's DNA. Doctors are optimistic about the potential of this technology for the future of cancer treatment. Alyssa, the patient, was the first to undergo this experimental procedure after conventional treatments failed. The treatment genetically engineers new immune cells to target and eliminate cancer cells. Six months post-treatment, Alyssa shows no signs of cancer. Dr. David Liu, one of the inventors of base editing and a professor at Harvard University, explains that base editors are molecular machines that can make precise changes to DNA, correcting genetic diseases or making changes to fight diseases like leukemia. The treatment's success in Alyssa's case is promising, but doctors remain cautious about using the term 'cure' due to cancer's evolving nature. The approach taken in Alyssa's treatment was innovative, focusing on reprogramming T cells to target cancer without harming healthy cells, which proved effective. The potential for base editing extends beyond this single case, with ongoing clinical trials for different diseases.
🌟 Hope for the Future: Base Editing's Broad Applications
The script discusses the broader implications of base editing in medical science. Dr. Waseem Qureshi at UCL led the clinical trial that included Alyssa, showcasing the experimental therapy as a new approach to treating cancer. The treatment's success has given hope globally, demonstrating the potential of base editing beyond just leukemia. The conversation with Professor David Liu from Harvard highlights the technology's versatility, as it is not limited to a single disease. There are currently four clinical trials underway in different countries, each targeting a different disease using base editing. The treatment's precision in making single-letter changes to DNA offers a promising tool in the medical field. The script concludes with an acknowledgment of the ongoing nature of cancer treatment and the importance of continued research and innovation, with base editing being a significant step forward.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Base Editing
💡Leukemia
💡Immune Cells
💡DNA
💡Genetic Engineering
💡Cancer-Free
💡Clinical Trials
💡Misspellings in DNA
💡Remission
💡Immuno-Oncology
💡Harvard University
Highlights
A teenager in the UK is cancer-free after a new treatment for leukemia called base editing.
Base editing involves altering the patient's DNA to treat diseases.
Alyssa was the first patient to undergo base editing after conventional treatments failed.
The procedure genetically engineers new immune cells to hunt down cancerous ones.
Six months post-treatment, Alyssa's cancer is undetectable.
Doctors believe base editing could fight a wide range of diseases.
Alyssa hopes her participation helps other children get cured through this research.
Dr. David Liu, one of the inventors of base editing, explains the technology.
Base editors are molecular machines that can convert one DNA letter to another.
Base editing can correct genetic 'misspellings' and make precise changes for fighting diseases.
Doctors used base editing to reprogram T cells to target Alyssa's cancer without harming her cells.
The treatment's success does not guarantee a lifelong cure, but it is hopeful for the future.
There's always a chance of cancer returning, even after remission.
Base editing's power lies in its ability to make precise DNA changes for various diseases.
Four clinical trials are ongoing using base editing to treat different diseases.
Dr. Waseem Quasim led the clinical trial for Alyssa's experimental therapy.
The success of Alyssa's treatment gives hope worldwide for the potential of base editing.
Transcripts
when tonight a teenager in the United
Kingdom is cancer free after undergoing
a new treatment for leukemia it's called
base editing and it involves altering
the patient's DNA doctors say that this
breakthrough has huge implications for
the future of treating cancer
[Music]
at the center of a medical breakthrough
after all conventional treatments failed
doctors feared Alyssa's leukemia was
incurable
with few options left Alyssa volunteered
to be the first patient to undergo an
experimental treatment known as base
editing The Cutting Edge procedure
involves genetically engineering new
immune cells that hunt down the
cancerous ones six months on the cancer
is no longer detectable in Alyssa's body
it is extremely exciting
um so obviously this is a new field in
medicine and it's fascinating that we
can redirect immune system to fight
cancer doctors say this treatment only
scratches the surface of what base
editing could achieve they believe the
technology could help fight a wide range
of diseases I know that I've helped
other children as well
that they might that other children
might be able to get cured because of
the research that I've been part in all
these people Melissa is still being
monitored just in case the cancer
returns
when Dr David Liu is one of the
inventors of Base editing he's professor
and director of the American Institute
of transformative Technologies in
healthcare at Harvard University I asked
him earlier to explain just how base
editing works
sure so so base editors are machines
molecular machines that we engineered
drawing from components in nature and in
our Laboratory
that convert one DNA letter to a
different letter of our choosing in the
vast genome they can be targeted to a
specific sequence of Interest
where they then rearrange the atoms in
one DNA base to instead become a
different DNA base so base editors can
correct the misspellings that cause
genetic disease
or make other kinds of precise single
letter changes that can be useful for
fighting disease such as the T Cell
leukemia that Alyssa had
so if you if you're correcting then the
the the mistakes and which that's what
we understand cancer cells to be anyway
the result of a mistake in cellular
reproduction are we talking about then
being a step closer to having a cure for
cancer
scientists and doctors are really
reluctant to use the word pure when it
comes especially to to treating cancer
because cancer by its very nature is
constantly evolving to try to evade our
medicines
um but in this case the doctors did not
simply attack the cancer by trying to
change the DNA sequence of the cancer
cells instead they took a a much more
clever approach uh one that is built on
the work of many many scientists in
immuno oncology as it's called in which
we make precise
base edits in a donor's T cells that
then reprogrammed those cells
to go after Alyssa's cancer without
harming Alyssa's cells so that approach
um proved to be very effective in in
treating Melissa and six months after
treatment
she doesn't have any detectable cancer
of course that doesn't necessarily mean
she's cured for life but we're all
hopeful that her cancer-free status will
last for the foreseeable future and we
know that when someone has had cancer it
is cancer-free or goes into remission
there's always a chance of cancer coming
back let's say that in the case of
illicit that that cancer does come back
using this new treatment this new
technology would you be able then to
once again go in and change just a small
portion of her DNA to once again
turn off the new cancer are we talking
about maybe having to go in maybe
several times each time the cancer is
able to regenerate itself
well the the most powerful and perhaps
the most exciting aspect of Base editing
is that it is simply a way to make
precise single letter changes in the DNA
of human cells or any other kind of cell
for that matter it's not limited to
being applied to any one disease and in
fact there are four clinical trials
ongoing right now to treat four
different diseases in four different
countries using face editing in the case
of Alyssa she already went through a
treatment a more standard treatment for
her cancer that proved unsuccessful so
she's already lived through the
unfortunate experience of receiving a
cancer treatment that then results in
the cancer coming back and thanks to the
the leadership and scientific vision of
Dr Waseem quasim at UCL University of
College London he's the one who led the
clinical trial to say okay perhaps we
should try this experimental new therapy
that he designed on Alyssa to give her
the best chance of recovering yeah well
it's definitely given people all around
the world a reason for for Hope moving
forward and a lot of that has to do with
the work that you have been doing we
appreciate your time and your insights
tonight Professor David Liu from Harvard
thank you for your interest thank you
thank you
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