Gene therapy for pancreatic cancer: Experimental approach shrank tumors in one patient
An experimental gene therapy appears to have been successful in halting the progression of one woman's advanced pancreatic cancer, doctors reported Wednesday.
An experimental treatment appears to have been successful in halting the progression of one woman's advanced pancreatic cancer, doctors reported Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.
The apparent success of the therapy — which involves tweaking the genes of immune cells so that they attack tumor cells — could be a major step forward in the treatment of not only pancreatic cancer, but other cancers as well.
“I’m really excited about this,” said Dr. Carl June, who more than a decade ago pioneered a different type of immune therapy for certain blood cancers. June was not involved with the new report.
Kathy Wilkes, 71, of Ormond Beach, Florida, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in early 2018. She initially underwent at least eight rounds of chemotherapy, as well as radiation and an operation called a Whipple procedure to remove part of her pancreas.
Within a year, however, the cancer had spread to her lungs.
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