Scientists from China said that they are working on a new cancer treatment method that involves altering human genes.
In the coming months, they will conduct the first experiments on changing human DNA using the CRISPR-Cas9 genomic editor.
It has been previously shown that the work of immune cells is associated with the PD-1 gene. It prevents immune cells from attacking healthy ones. But, as it turned out, if you remove or disable this gene, then the immune system begins to fight cancer cells. Therefore, scientists planned to change the work of the PD-1 gene in the blood of people who have been diagnosed with cancer.
Scientists intend to make changes in the DNA of blood T cells. Then they will be given back to patients. Scientists believe this will cause the immune system to destroy cancerous tumors.
Previously, the positive effect of disabling this gene was identified in the treatment of cancer in laboratory rodents. The research project has already been approved by all the necessary authorities. The first patients to be tested for the new treatment will be people with lung cancer.
"The new technology, if successful, will be an important breakthrough in the fight against cancer," said Lu Yu, an employee of the Sichuan University Hospital.