単細胞生物学

概要

Cell Based Immunotherapy: As a Promising Futuristic Solution for Effective Cancer Therapy

Subhradip Karmakar

Cell based therapy is rapidly emerging as an alternative to conventional chemotherapy based treatment for cancer. While chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgical intervention have been the mainstay treatment regime for vast majority of cancers, they are often associated with unwanted treatment related side-effects. Quite often the side effects dramatically compromise the quality of life for the patients. Therapy related AML (t-AML) is one such consequence of mutation events associated with cytotoxic drugs. In order to make cancer therapy more tumor specific thus sparing the non-cancerous components of the body, cell based therapy harnessing the body immune system (cancer immunotherapy) is now explored in ever increasing number. This review is focused on the emergence of novel technologies that aim in engineering T lymphocytes to selectively recognize cancer specific markers on transformed cells thus facilitating their elimination without harming the normal cells of the body. Clinical data shows an enormous potential of this approach and is currently followed in several institutions worldwide against wide varieties of cancers with almost complete remission and fewer side effects.