New Cancer Research Could Reduce Harmful Effects of Chemotherapy
A recent study has revealed that a new method of applying chemotherapy could change the way patient’s receive treatment, and reduce the harmful effects of chemotherapy.
The study, published in December’s issue of the American Journal of Pathology, has developed a way to keep tumor cells alive in a lab for up to two years, and possibly longer.
It could offer patients in the future a more customized therapy treatment by allowing doctors to test different treatment types using the actual tumor cells from the patient. Doctors would then be able to ascertain which ones would be most effective without subjecting the patient to chemotherapy.
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Current treatment recommendations rely primarily on testing done on biopsied tissue that is frozen or set in wax.
The new study would apply a method of stem cell research to “replicate and very efficiently grow tumor cells,” Lead Author Dr. Richard Schlegel, Chairman of the Department of Pathology at Georgetown University’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, said. The technique is known as Conditionally Reprogrammed Cells (CRCs).
“This would really be the ultimate in personalized medicine. The therapies would be exactly from their tissues,” he said.
Previously, when a sample had been tested it could no longer be used. The new technique means that cells can be grown continuously and tested for the best cancer therapy.
The therapy would also optimize treatment by targeting as many cancerous cells as possible while attempting to keep the healthy cells intact.
“We would get normal tissue and tumor tissue from a particular patient and specifically match up their therapies,” he explained.
Therapy that had an extremely negative impact on healthy cells would not be considered.
Previous tests have only been conducted on a single individual, who was suffering from lung cancer. However, trials could begin as early next year if other research labs are able to produce the same results -- three labs are already trying.
