We're on the west coast of Australia. My wife was diagnosed 2 1/2 years ago at 65. Given the gene mutation involved, we now understand her prognosis is poor if we only have current treatment options.
Is it possible to to treat multiple myeloma via gene editing. It's my understanding that success with this approach was reported in June 2017. We understand it is available in the U.S. and China.
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Tony O - Name: Tony
- Who do you know with myeloma?: my wife Carolyn
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Dec 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 65
Re: Gene editing for multiple myeloma?
Hi Tony -
I am very sorry to hear of your wife's situation. I hope the doctors are wrong and that they find something her disease will respond to.
I believe that the gene editing work in myeloma involves editing genes in cells from patients' immune systems to get those cells to specifically attack the cancer cells. There's an article here on a clinical trial that is about to start:
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/609999/us-doctors-plan-to-treat-cancer-patients-using-crispr/
While this type of therapy would not change the genes in your wife's cancer cells, it might allow for a specific method of attacking those cells that would work better than most current therapies.
Best wishes going forward!
I am very sorry to hear of your wife's situation. I hope the doctors are wrong and that they find something her disease will respond to.
I believe that the gene editing work in myeloma involves editing genes in cells from patients' immune systems to get those cells to specifically attack the cancer cells. There's an article here on a clinical trial that is about to start:
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/609999/us-doctors-plan-to-treat-cancer-patients-using-crispr/
While this type of therapy would not change the genes in your wife's cancer cells, it might allow for a specific method of attacking those cells that would work better than most current therapies.
Best wishes going forward!
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Mike F - Name: Mike F
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: May 18, 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 53
Re: Gene editing for multiple myeloma?
What they are talking about here may be CAR T-cell therapy, where the blood of the patient is removed (very much like harvesting stem cells) and certain specific T-cells are removed, sent to a lab, where they are grown and modified. These t-cells are then altered, given the specific information they need to fight the specific cancer cells that are now eluding the immune system.
A couple of weeks later the patient returns (again, very much like an autologous stem cell transplant) where s/he is given some chemotherapy and the new T-cells are given by infusion.
This therapy has been approved to fight certain blood cancers, such as leukemia and lymphoma, as well as certain brain cancers. They have been doing trials for multiple myeloma using this therapy for several years.
Some links:
A couple of weeks later the patient returns (again, very much like an autologous stem cell transplant) where s/he is given some chemotherapy and the new T-cells are given by infusion.
This therapy has been approved to fight certain blood cancers, such as leukemia and lymphoma, as well as certain brain cancers. They have been doing trials for multiple myeloma using this therapy for several years.
Some links:
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dianaiad - Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Officially...March 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 63
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