Another cancer breakthrough is paving its way into the field of medical research. Medical practitioners in a hospital in Chongqing, China claimed to have successfully treated a patient suffering from leukemia through gene therapy. 

After being treated with what is known as the chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, CAR T therapy for short, Zhang Fang was cured of leukemia. She was receiving treatment at Southwest Hospital, an affiliated Third Military Medical University.

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"The cancer cells have disappeared from her body. She is the first patient who has been completely cured of the disease using gene therapy," the Bio-Treatment Center's Professor Qian Cheng revealed. 

Most cancer patients in China, or even across the globe, undergo chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or bone marrow transplant to combat the abnormal proliferation of cells. But with the discovery of CAR T therapy's potency, Professor Cheng claimed that this could be "a much better option, because it can cut costs by at least 30 percent compared with bone marrow transplant, and is more likely to lead to a cure."

In CAR T therapy, CD19 antigens that are found in surfaces of B cells, whether normal or malignant, are targeted by engineered CAR T cells. Although much research still needs to be done and the therapy is still in its early clinical trials, experts have garnered positive results. If this continues, NCI's Surgery Branch Dr. Steve Rosenberg claimed this will soon "become a standard therapy for some B-cell malignancies."

Currently, there are six other patients undergoing gene therapy in China. Doctors claim they are showing positive results.

Only a few hospitals around the country are offering gene therapy treatment at the moment, but with the considerable optimism, Professor Cheng said they will further enhance the therapy.    

TagsGene therapy, Leukemia, CAR T therapy, T-cells, Cancer treatment