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Scientists of the Hebron Valley Hospital and the Sea Hospital of Barcelona have coordinated to create a innovative CAR-T therapy in which there are a lot of hopes.
The treatment is focused on a HER2 type of breast cancerwhich represents a 15% of these cancers and what is more aggressive and with a worse prognosis.
So far it has been tested with mice and the results have been spectacular. Even some mice with large tumors, equivalent to a kilo in humans, have been cured. The doctors have already submitted their reports and hope that in December they will have the start of treatment approved. trials in patients.
What does CAR-T therapy consist of?
These very promising results have been achieved thanks to a therapy that is becoming the great bet against cancer: CAR-T immunotherapy. It consists of extracting immune cells from the patient through a blood sample. Specifically T cellswhich are capable of destroying cancer cells.
These cells are genetically modify to attack this type of tumor. Furthermore, in this case there is another novelty: they have been added a protein in the membrane that sticks to tumor cells and thus becomes more effective.
Then the modified cells they multiply in the laboratory and millions are injected again into the area where the tumor is.
“In the laboratory we observed that this new CAR-T produced a complete and durable response, as well as safe“, explained the Dr. Macarena Romanfirst author of study. “We have seen a awesome response. Now we must validate these results in a clinical trial”; that is, with people.
What type of tumors does it attack?
The first objective that has been proposed is that of breast tumors due to HER2. The HER2 is a protein which helps the growth and development of a wide variety of cells, called epithelial cells. However, an excess of this protein causes uncontrolled multiplication of cells.
As you well know, this lack of control in cell growth is the beginning of the tumor. This type of HER2 cancer It doesn’t just affect the breasts. It is estimated that 4% of all tumors they arise like this. There is also HER2 cancer stomach, uterus, gallbladder or bladderFor example.
This HER2 protein is one of the most attacked targets. And although multiple therapies have been developed, there are still one third of patients with HER2 breast cancer do not respond to treatment.
“In the development of cell therapies such as CAR-T in solid tumors (those that affect an organ) we must be able to develop strategies that further enhance the immune response of the patient” says Dr. Román.
In fact, until now CAR-T therapies have worked well in lymphomas and leukemiafluid cancers. But it seems that the tumor hides better when it is in the tissue of an organ. That’s why there are so many hopes for this project.
What is the next step
Thirteen mice were used in the research, which are considered the most suitable models to study live effectiveness of new treatments against cancer. Mice were injected with tumor cells from breast cancer patients and allowed the tumors to grow. They were then injected with the modified T cells.
“We observed how in the majority of mice, tumors of considerable size shrank until they disappeared completely and the animals lived for months without their quality of life being affected“explains Dr. Román.
After presenting their results this November, they have already requested the launch of a phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate the safety of the new therapy. That means it will be tested in a few patients.
Their goal is to start the trial in a few months. “We have thought recruit fifteen patients who have exhausted all therapeutic options”, the researchers have explained. This will open the door to investigate more precisely what the patients who can benefit the most of this treatment.
If it works, the essay will go progressively expanding. Hoping that it will finally become a widespread therapy for this type of cancer and will also begin to be tested in others.
Faced while developing this therapy, and how might future research help address these obstacles? (Macarena Roman)
Guest 1 – Dr. Macarena Roman, Medical Oncologist at Hebron Valley Hospital
Section 1: Discuss the innovative CAR-T therapy that has been developed for HER2 type of breast cancer and its potential benefits over current treatments.
Section 2: Explain how the new CAR-T therapy works and its effectiveness in destroying cancer cells in mice models.
Section 3: Share the next steps for clinical trials and potential risks associated with the treatment.
Section 4: Discuss the potential impact this therapy could have on other types of solid tumors beyond breast cancer.
Section 5: Talk about challenges faced while developing the therapy and how future research could address these obstacles.
Guest 2 – Dr. Pere Marsal, Medical Oncologist at Sea Hospital, Barcelona
Section 1: Discuss the importance of targeting HER2 in cancer treatment and the need for better therapies.
Section 2: Share your thoughts on the effectiveness of the new CAR-T therapy in treating HER2 breast cancer and its potential for other HER2-positive cancers.
Section 3: Explain the challenges of translating laboratory success to clinical trials and potential outcomes based on the promising preliminary data.
Section 4: Talk about collaborations between hospitals and research institutions, and how they contribute to advancements in cancer treatment.
Section 5: Discuss how innovative therapies like CAR-T can change the landscape of cancer treatment in the coming years.
Interview questions:
1. Can you tell us about the innovative CAR-T therapy developed for HER2 type of breast cancer? What are its potential benefits over current treatments? (Macarena Roman)
2. How does the new CAR-T therapy work and how effective has it been in destroying cancer cells in mice models? (Macarena Roman)
3. What are the next steps for clinical trials and what potential risks might patients face during these trials? (Macarena Roman)
4. Could this therapy potentially be used to treat other types of solid tumors beyond breast cancer? (Macarena Roman)
5. What were some of the challenges you
