Breakthrough Cancer Therapy Uses Tumor “Disguise” to Trigger Immune Attack

Could Texans soon benefit from this new cancer therapy that "disguises" tumors to trigger an immune attack?

A potential breakthrough in fighting cancer may have been developed by Chinese scientists, using a tumor "disguise" to trick the immune system into launching an attack on them.

So far, it's showing promising results, according to Interesting Engineering.

The new therapy involves giving cancer cells a pig tissue "disguise," which aims to trick the human immune system into attacking them. It's basic re-creating an organ transplant rejection scenario, which could be one of the most incredible breakthroughs we've seen.

Will this new cancer therapy benefit Texas cancer patients and offer new hope in fighting this disease?

How exactly would this new treatment work?

According to the South China Morning Post, the new therapy uses viruses that have been genetically modified, and scientists add pig tissue proteins to the surface of the tumor cells.

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What happens next? 

In clinical trials, the immune system has seen these cells as foreign and then begins eliminating them. Unfortunately, we've seen this in organ transplant scenarios.

But in this context, that process could be lifesaving.

The human immune system sees them as invading the body and then is triggered to destroy them.

Some trials have shown this to be quite effective and, in some cases, a 90% success rate in animal trials.

Will we see human trials in the future here in Texas to test out a new cancer therapy developed by Chinese scientists?

Texas is fortunate to be home to some of the country's leading cancer research centers, such as MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. It would be incredible to see how the brilliant doctors there could take this research to the next level and, after more study, hopefully begin saving lives.

It would be an incredible day indeed if this therapy continues to be analyzed so that Texans and people all over the world who are fighting cancer will have a powerful new hope that it will be treated more quickly while reducing any need for chemotherapy and radiation.