MINSK, 18 January (BelTA) – An advanced technology to treat cancer is to be introduced by the National Research Center for Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology, Director the center Olga Aleinikova told reporters, BelTA has learned.
“CAR T-cell therapy is an advanced and leading method to treat cancer and other diseases, in particular in children. It is used when other treatment methods are inefficient or too toxic. We have plans to use genetically engineered cells, the so-called CAR T-cells,” Olga Aleinikova said. This approach uses immune cells of a patient (T lymphocytes). After separating T cells from a patient's blood, these cells are genetically engineered to produce special receptors allowing T cells to recognize tumor cells. The genetically engineered T cells are infused back into a patient allowing a patient's immune system to attack tumors on its own.
In order to use this state-of-the-art immunotherapy approach the center is building a new molecular laboratory with the help of sponsors. The construction is to be finished in 2019.
According to Olga Aleinikova, the National Research Center for Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology is using highly efficient methods with the recovery rate at 75%. With certain types of malignant tumors the recovery rate stands at 90%.
