“Incredibly promising” immune discovery could treat multiple cancers says Royal Bournemouth Hospital expert

Our own immune system could be the key to a new cancer treatment, Cardiff University researchers have found.

The revolutionary breakthrough has “enormous potential” and could revolutionise future cancer treatments, but is yet to be tested on humans.

The treatment centres around a newly-discovered type of T-cell in our immune system.

T-cells are a type of white blood cell, which can scan the body to assess whether there is a threat that needs to be eliminated. This particular cell, researchers say, could find and kill a number of cancerous cells, all while leaving healthy tissue untouched.

BUzz reporter Maya Derrick spoke to Dr Tamas Hickish, Consultant Medical Oncologist at The Royal Bournemouth Hospital, about what this could mean for those undergoing cancer treatment here in Dorset.

What does this new discovery mean?

In Dorset, there are 5,500 cases of cancer each year, according to Cancer Research UK. Of these, 2,400 result in death.

Although this new study is in its early stages, it could be a step towards reducing these figures.

Dr Hickish expressed his excitement for a revolutionary therapy, but warned of the unknown side effects the treatment could have.

“Particularly when T-cells are involved, sometimes some really quite unpleasant side effects can happen,” he said.

Dr. Tamas Hickish talks more about the effects of cancer therapies. #MedicalBreakthrough

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He hopes that, after a period of caution, that there won’t be any considerable side effects for patients.

What will the outcome of this treatment be?

With the success of other treatments such as immunotherapy, Dr Hickish said that the prospect of this new therapy is “incredibly promising.”

Dr. Tamas Hickish discusses the best outcome being eradication of the disease. #MedicalBreakthrough

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With around 40% of cancers deemed preventable by Cancer Research UK through lifestyle changes, Dr Hickish added that innovative therapies, like this new one, are helping us get closer to “significantly durable disease control.”

How long will it be until we see this treatment in our local hospitals, if ever?

“Assuming at each step, the science stacks up, there will be escalating studies in pre-clinical models, which will then justify going onward. The CAR-T therapy experience suggests that this may take five to ten years,” Dr Hickish continued.

CAR-T therapy is a type of immunotherapy which uses the patients’ own immune cells to treat their condition.

The potential cancer treatment could take up to 10 years to be implemented says Dr. Tamas Hickish. @RBCH_NHS #MedicalBreakthrough

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“The caveat around that is that actually, our regulatory governance process systems actually are improving. One could imagine, if this really does stack up – it’s a science that has legs as a therapeutic. It may be at the shorter end of the spectrum, but I’m afraid it’s not going to be tomorrow, it’s not going to be this year. It’s probably not going to be for the next few years.”