Gene-editing therapy saves toddlers from cancer

Medical Iulia Postelnicu
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Two babies from the United Kingdom were diagnosed with forms of leukemia that was hard to be cured. The chances for them to live this aggressive disease were very small, but doctors managed to save them.

What they used to cure the two babies are “designer cells.”

This is a first time something like this happened. The cells that come from a donor are genetically created. They were used to cure cancer and they did.

The cell they created is called a “T cell”. It is designed especially for tracking the cancer cells and attack them.

The two babies that were saved are 11 months old and 16 months old. They both went through several treatments in the past, but none of them worked.

One of them was diagnosed at only three months old. Last fall, the doctors announced that her health was improving. In fact, the baby was almost cured then. Now, she is in remission.

After they cured yet another patent, they are sure this treatment works.

Here is how the cells were created:

The doctors first collected blood. They isolated the T cells, that are immune. They deactivated certain cells that could have been rejected in the body.

While doing this, they also ensured that they will attack the cancer.

Such a treatment has been used before. The only difference is that before the patient’s blood was used. The blood coming from donors can enable the cure to be developed faster.

Other researchers don’t believe this is actually the reason the two babies were cured. While going through the T cells treatment, they also frequented chemotherapy sessions.

The two babies are doing fine now, recovering.

“And this is her today standing laughing and giggling, she was so weak before this treatment, it was horrible and I’m just thankful for this opportunity,” said the father of one of the patients.