Patient, Heal Thyself: Body's Own Immune Cells Whack Late-Stage Tumor

In what could be a breakthrough in cancer therapy, researchers report in The New England Journal of Medicine today that they succeeded in bolstering a patient's immune system enough to wipe out late-stage malignant tumors on its own. The scientists say the successful experiment could pave the way for new treatments of advanced cancer that spare patients the side effects of chemotherapy, which kills healthy as well as malignant cells.

This is not the first time that researchers attempted to use immunotherapy—or a patient's own infection-fighting cells—to try to destroy tumors. But researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle say this is the first time such a therapy worked on its own, without combining it with drugs or chemotherapy.Lead study author Cassian Yee, an immunologist, says that he and his team removed so-called CD4+ T cells (a type of infection-fighting white blood cell) from a 52-year-old man with stage IV (the most advanced) melanoma—the deadliest form of skin cancer; it had spread to a lung and a groin lymph node.

The researchers grew T cells (that target a specific protein, or antigen, on the tumor cells) in the lab until they had a population they believed was large enough to destroy the cancer.They infused five billion of the cloned cells into the patient. Two months later, PET (positron emission tomography) and CT (computed tomography) scans did not reveal any tumors—and the patient has remained disease-free for two years, Yee says."This is the first example that I can think of where someone actually grew CD4+ T cells outside the body and gave [them] back and got results," says Willem Overwijk, an immunologist at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, who was not involved in this study.

Both Yee and Overwijk describe the CD4+ T cells as "helper" T cells, because they are known to trigger other T cells in the body to grow. Among the cells they affect are so-called killer T cells (or CD8+ T cells) that attack tumor cells.Yee says the injected T cells remained active in the patient's body for at least 80 days—and that the tumors vanished even though only 50 to 75 percent of their own cells released the targeted protein or antigen (known as NY-ESO-1)."This shows that we were able to broaden the immune response to other tumor [proteins], possibly by harnessing the [T cells] already present in the patient," Yee says.

Although pleased with the results, Yee cautions that the approach thus far has only been tested in one patient. He plans to conduct a larger trial on 10 to 20 patients over the next year or so. If that trial—and subsequent ones are successful—he says the therapy could be a viable treatment option within five years.

Johnson Family Reunion

In case any of you did not get this email... Here you go. Wouldn't it be something if the Roger Garrick family had 100% family histories turned in this year?! :)

Hi Johnson Family,

Don't know much about the reunion at this point, but we still want to get everyone's history. So, if you would please turn in one page on each of your family members and send them to Valdean by July 31st, we would appreciate it.

E-mail is easiest, but you can also mail it to me at: 3861 Hellers Bend Fallbrook, CA 92028

Also, at the same time, let us know how many history books you would like to order. Last year, they were around $13, so hopefully, they will be about the same again this year.Also, if you would please make sure other members of your family get this message.

My e-mail list is a couple of years old, so I don't know that I have everyone's current address.

Thanks,

Valdean Irvine

valdeani@hotmail.com

BYU vs Utah State - October 3, 2008

How about having a "family reunion" weekend in Logan, Utah? BYU will be playing Utah State in football on October 3rd. I thought mayeb this would be a good weekend to all get together and do some fun things and then enjoy a BYU game. What do you think?

One of my favorite people....ever!!!

Last Sunday we attended the Chatsworth ward....so fun! There were two baby's blessing's; the Shakespeare's baby blessing and Courtney Sturges. Brady got to talk to Jeffro and say hi on my cell phone.....Jeffro loved that and had a huge smile on his face talking about it the rest of the time I saw him (okay....he's always smiling! But he was still talking about it!!). He loves the Garrick family so much and he has such an amazing memory. I remember way back when I was a Chatsworth Chiefs chearleader....he never missed our practices.

Sheryl...I sat by Sister Hunt during R.S.....she was there for the blessing...she told me to tell you hello from her!

Anyways- That evening we got to enjoy dinner at President Huckvale's house. We had so much fun and were there until 10:30pm! He had me laughing about his parenting techniques they used with their kids when they were young. Ty and Savy loved his car collection.....but I was holding my breath as their tiny little finger prints were being left on his shiny corvette!!! Here is his collection of Pets....courtesy of Brookelyn.

More Disney World Fun

Clearly I don't know what I am doing....but the pics are posted with an additional one that I missed...from our fun fun fun vacation. It is such an amazing place. This one pic is the first day...and the excitement in the room was tangible...the girls looked so cute and so eager for the adventure before us. We were all little kids each day.

Jewel's Dance Recital Outfit & Troupe