Researchers found that one’s immune system can re-engage to destroy tumors after combining chemotherapy and immunotherapy in mice.
Chemotherapy remains the first-line approach for the treatment of solid tumors. It is based on the cytotoxic activity on rapidly dividing cells, but adverse effects are seen on healthy cells that also rapidly divide, such as the intestinal mucosal lining, and hair follicles.
Studies that examined NK-cell levels in people with COVID-19 showed that they had decreased levels of NK cells when compared to people who did not have the disease.
Natural killer (NK) cells are capable of killing infected cells without prior activation. Although NK cells do not require antigen stimulation to function, they serve as a robust defense against viral infection. One mechanism used by NK cells to fight viral infection includes the release of granzymes that can trigger pathways leading to the death of infected cells.
An independent study published by the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston TX cites using HemaCare PBMCs to take a closer look at the SARS-CoV-2 virus to identify which of its peptide sequences would make the most effective vaccine targets.
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the primary goal for scientists across the globe was to save lives by developing a safe, working vaccine as quickly as possible. To that end, they succeeded admirably; with several vaccines approved, doctors finally have a powerful way to fight back against this deadly disease.
Scientists in Japan created a new tool to study how cancer cells will hide in the body, making it easier to create new cancer cells after treatment.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, cancer is one of the top 5 causes of death in developed countries. Although many advances have been achieved regarding treatment options for different types of cancer, preventing recurrence and bolstering long-term survival in patients with advanced forms of cancer remains a challenge. The persistence of cancer stem cells in the body, which are resistant to conventional treatments, appears to be an important factor leading to cancer recurrence.
Researchers involved in the clinical investigation of a new COVID-19 vaccine cited using HemaCare healthy donor starting materials for their study.
The scientists, most of whom work at ImmunityBio in Culver City, CA, are conducting a Phase 1 clinical trial for their new dual-antigen COVID-19 vaccine. [1]