Blog Post 3 An immune System trained to kill Cancer

This article talks about a possible cure to cancer which has long effected the world for decades. According to the World Health Organization, cancer accounts for 7.6 million deaths. The organization also states that 70% of all these cancer deaths occur in low and middle class countries. The article focuses in on a study recently done on three individuals by The University of Pennsylvania.  The experiment calls for the removal of an individuals’ T-cells, (these cells fight viruses and tumors), these cells are then injected with genes that will force the cells to attack cancer. The genes are designed to equip the T cells in recognize the cancer, attack it, and multiply inside the body.  As I stated before this study has been conducted on three people and in all three cases , after the cells had been placed back into their veins a number of days went by when they would get the chills and have high fevers, this is when the cells are fighting against the cancer and the patient becomes a bioreactor.  With the regaining of their health two of the three patients cancer was eliminated. The third however experienced remission in which the disease was lessened but didn’t go completely away. Scientists believe the reason for the third patients remission could have been because he was the only person given steroids which could have inhibited the cells to continue to fight the caner. However scientists still believe they are on to something with this treatment. One of the three patients named William Ludwig has been cancer free for 1 year. Ludwig states “I have my life back” to describe his complete turn in health.(article pg. 1) Doctors have not declared that this is the cure because it hasn’t been enough time in studies to tell instead scientists are taking things one day at a time.

Cancer is a disease that has affected millions of people in the world. A cure for those who have the disease and the family members would mean elimination of a hurt and feeling of lost. It is estimated that by the year 2030 11.5 million more people will die from the disease. What the world wants is a cure. The world pours millions of dollars into foundation per day to help fund the research needed to cure this prevalent disease in our communities. This problem is one that people everywhere definitely want to be solved. If the research in the article actually works this could be a huge milestone in the diagnosed patients lives’ worldwide. The scientists conducting the experiment may have stumbled onto something that could change the world. While we aren’t sure that the treatment will continue to work, the longevity of life that the patients have been living speaks volumes.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/13/health/13gene.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&ref=health

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs297/en/index.html
http://www.onlinemedicinetips.com/disease/c/cancer/How-Many-People-In-The-World-Have-Cancer.html