A Victoria team is playing a central role in developing a cancer therapy that shows a 90 per cent complete response rate for certain types of leukemia that are otherwise fatal, says a researcher at the Deeley Research Centre.
Immunotherapy is an approach for cancer treatment that uses the patientsa国际传媒檚 own immune system sa国际传媒� getting it fired up to destroy cancer cells. Itsa国际传媒檚 a path Brad Nelson started working in two decades ago, and the last five years have yielded impressive results globally.
sa国际传媒淭wenty years ago, (immunotherapy) was very much a futuristic idea,sa国际传媒� said Nelson, co-director of the centre based at BC Cancer adjacent to Royal Jubilee Hospital. sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檝e gone from being a bit on the fringes sa国际传媒� to now doctors, nurses are delivering some types of therapy as standard of care for many cancers.sa国际传媒�
Nelson first embarked on T-cell studies as an option to work alongside standard chemotherapy and radiation. Twenty years later, itsa国际传媒檚 working.
sa国际传媒淭his has been a global phenomenon with breakthroughs at centres around the world,sa国际传媒� Nelson said.
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The ultimate goal is to develop safe, potent and cost-effective immunotherapies to battle a range of cancers.
One area of research using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells is showing significant signs of success. In the simplest of terms, they take a patientsa国际传媒檚 immune cells sa国际传媒� in particular T-cells sa国际传媒� and insert a gene that rewires them. Now hardwired to recognize the cancer, the genetically engineered cells go back into the patientsa国际传媒檚 blood stream and circulate.
sa国际传媒淭heysa国际传媒檙e now hardwired to sa国际传媒� when they see a tumour cell sa国际传媒� latch on and destroy it,sa国际传媒� Nelson said.
In oncology terms, itsa国际传媒檚 still a recent development, but showing spectacular results in blood-based cancers, he added.
International clinical trials have shown (CAR) T-cells can achieve up to a 90 per cent complete response rate for certain types of leukemia that are otherwise fatal sa国际传媒� the tumour goes away, itsa国际传媒檚 undetectable, Nelson explained.
The Victoria lab has a purpose-built clean room to manufacture the genetically engineered cells. With approvals, the team embarked on a patient trial with treatment taking place in Vancouver and Ottawa. The consortium has treated 60 patients on this trial and recently published results for the first 30 in a peer-reviewed international journal documenting the treatment is safe and effective, Nelson said.
sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檝e also figured out how to make it cost-effective.sa国际传媒�
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Alongside success, the treatment rapidly became commercialized to tune of a $1 million treatment in the U.S.
sa国际传媒淚n Canada, we looked at those numbers and thought theresa国际传媒檚 just no way our health-care system can support those costs,sa国际传媒� Nelson said. sa国际传媒淚n B.C. alone, there are about 100 patients a year that need this therapy.sa国际传媒�
Along the way, theysa国际传媒檝e created the next generation of cutting-edge clinical researchers
sa国际传媒淎nother accomplishment of the program is wesa国际传媒檝e created this generation of highly trained, largely younger people who have these skills and great jobs in producing this very sophisticated cancer treatment and really setting B.C. up for the future.sa国际传媒�
Julie Nielsen took on the role as leader of cell manufacturing for BC Cancersa国际传媒檚 immunotherapy program about a year ago. Shesa国际传媒檚 been at the agency for 15 years, lured there by the enthusiastic work of Nelson.
Early on, she was working with patient samples and got to talk to patients. Even though she couldnsa国际传媒檛 treat them, patients were interested in hearing about the work and its potential.
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sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檝e always loved being here and loved my job for a lot of reasons. Mainly the patient focus,sa国际传媒� Nielsen said. sa国际传媒淣ow wesa国际传媒檙e really treating patients. Isa国际传媒檝e talked to some of these people and heard their stories, and theysa国际传媒檙e just so grateful. Itsa国际传媒檚 so inspiring.sa国际传媒�
Both researchers are grateful to the community that helps fund the work. Beyond Belief is the latest ambitious BC Cancer Foundation campaign to raise $500 million with the goal of investing in research, technology and access. The BC Cancer Foundation raised $77.1 million for BC Cancer last year.
Victoriasa国际传媒檚 Deeley Research Centre was funded by the community through the BC Cancer Foundation and much of Nelsonsa国际传媒檚 research has been made possible through community donations, said William Litchfield, executive director.
sa国际传媒淭his is an amazing example of how our community has invested to make a real difference in cancer care, and with our communitysa国际传媒檚 continued support we will continue to make world-class breakthroughs,sa国际传媒� Litchfield said.
Learn more about the campaign at bccancerfoundation.com.
christine.vanreeuwyk@blackpress.ca
