Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics 2024, Vol.12, No.2, 70-78 http://medscipublisher.com/index.php/cge 74 2.3.3 Application of immunotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors The application of immunotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors has brought revolutionary breakthroughs in cancer treatment. Immunotherapy leverages the human body’s own immune system, activating or restoring the function of immune cells to attack cancer cells. This method maximizes the use of the body’s natural defenses, making treatment more precise and with relatively fewer side effects. Immune checkpoint inhibitors are a crucial class of drugs in immunotherapy, capable of suppressing immune checkpoint molecules on cancer cells, thereby releasing the inhibition of immune cells against cancer cells. This reactivates immune cells to recognize and attack cancer cells, restoring anti-tumor immune responses. Immune checkpoint inhibitors, such as PD-1 inhibitors and CTLA-4 inhibitors, have achieved significant clinical success in treating various cancers, significantly extending patients' survival periods and improving their quality of life. 3 The Application of Genomics in Personalized Cancer Treatment 3.1 Typical cases of genomics in personalized cancer treatment CRISPR genome editing can be used for personalized cancer treatment. A study published by "Nature" magazine on November 10, 2022, reported significant advances in modified cells and their clinical trials in humans. This research, conducted by researchers at the University of California and the cell therapy company PACT Pharma, developed a method using the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing system to insert cancer-specific T-cell receptors into the T cells of cancer patients, thereby generating personalized anti-cancer immune cells. Leveraging the power of the human immune system to treat cancer is an attractive goal. T-cell receptors on the surface (a key part of the immune system involved in recognizing specific antigens and responding) can detect cancer cells because single mutations in the cancer cell genome alter surface proteins (MacCannell, 2019). Isolating these T-cell receptors that can detect cancer cells and using them to generate therapeutic T cells might pave a new way for treating intractable cancers (Figure 2). Figure 2 Gene-edited T cells for the treatment of cancer (Photo source: https://www.sohu.com/a/606549401_120554400) 3.2 Analysis of treatment effects and patient survival rates in cases In a Phase I clinical trial, the University of California and the cell therapy company PACT Pharma treated 16 patients with metastatic solid tumors (mostly colorectal cancer) who were unresponsive to standard therapies using genetically engineered T cells. These T cells expressed personalized T-cell receptors targeting individual cancer mutations. Among the 16 participants, the therapy stabilized the disease in 5 patients, while the condition of the other 11 patients progressed. Only 2 patients experienced adverse reactions due to T-cell therapy, whereas all patients suffered expected adverse reactions related to concurrent chemotherapy.
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