A treatment that genetically alters a
patient’s own immune cells to fight cancer, has produced remissions in adults
with an acute leukemia that is usually lethal. The treatment is experimental,
and has been used in only a small number of patients and did not work in all of
them. But experts consider it a highly promising approach for a variety of
malignancies, including other blood cancers and tumors in organs like the
prostate gland. The treatment uses
patients own T-cells, a type of blood cell that normally fights viruses and
cancer. The patient’s blood is run through a machine that extracts T-cells and
returns the rest of the blood to the body. Researchers then do some genetic
engineering; they use a disabled virus as a “vector” to carry new genetic
material into the T-cells which reprograms them to recognize and kill any cell
that carries a particular protein on its surface.
This article was flawed in that it did not provide enough evidence to support the fact that the T-cell treatment will be a viable solution to those who have acute leukemia. When you present an article that deals with a disease such as acute leukemia, the article should be backed up with evidence that supports your claims. The study that the author included only has five participants, the reader can not a good idea whether the treatment actually is effective or not based off so little participation. If the treatment will work, it will be help patients who suffer from acute leukemia to hopefully live longer lives since now the disease is lethal.
Bria Gill
3/24/13
12:57 A.M
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