Kinkini Gupta
... Read More
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookie Policy.
Written By: Kinkini Gupta | Updated : May 31, 2022 2:14 PM IST
'MUSIC' Treatment For Cancer Ensures 60% Tumor Reduction In Patients
Immunotherapy therapy has revolutionized the treatment of cancer. This treatment offers clinical benefits for patients with 'treatment-refractory metastatic cancers' such as melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer and renal cell cancer. Now, a new ultrasound guided cancer immunotherapy technique has been developed by the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Centre that promotes systemic anti-tumor immunity and increase immune checkpoint blockade therapeutic efficacy. The research published in the journal 'Nature Nanotechnology' is the first of its kind cancer treatment platform.
As defined by the American Cancer Society, Immunotherapy is treatment that uses a person's own immune system to fight cancer. Immunotherapy can boost or change how the immune system works so it can find and attack cancer cells. The treatment is usually done in the following ways:
The Microbubble-assisted Ultrasound-guided Immunotherapy of Cancer (MUSIC) treatment employs nano complexes combined with microbubbles to effectively deliver cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate (cGAMP), into antigen presenting cell (APCs). The study suggests and demonstrated a complete tumor eradication rate of 60 per cent if it is administered as monotherapy in breast cancer. Scientists have discovered that if it is combined with an anti-PD-1 antibody, this treatment can significantly improve antitumor responses.
Wen Jiang, M.D., PhD, assistant professor of radiation oncology stated that although the majority of cancer immunotherapies have focused on boosting the adaptive branch of the body's immune system, there has been a growing realization that both the innate and adaptive branches of the body's immune system need to be engaged to generate optimal anti-tumoral immunity. The discovery of different immunotherapies that target the regulators of innate immune systems have been made for this particular purpose.
Aside from all the positive results of the MUSIC treatment, researchers have informed clearly that not all patients respond to immune checkpoint blockade in the same way. There is still scope of more advancement in this area and developing a more effective immunotherapy strategy to benefit larger numbers of cancer patients with localized and metastatic disease is a clinical requirement that should be met.
There are different types of immunotherapy treatments used to treat cancer, and further research is being conducted for some of these:
