An immunotherapy treatment that utilizes T cells to fight
cancer may soon be covered by Medicare for mesothelioma patients. Immunotherapy
is still an emerging set of cancer treatments that utilizes the patient’s own
immune system to fight and kill cancer cells. The specific treatment that uses
T cells is called chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy. The treatment
helps target mesothelin, which is on the cancer cells’ surfaces. Blood is
removed from the patient and the T cells within the blood are genetically
engineered to create receptors called chimeric antigen receptors. The T cells
are then injected back into the patient where they fight cancer inside the
patient’s body. They are able to target and attack certain proteins on the
surface of cells and then kill the cancer cells.
The CAR T-cell therapy could potentially be used on mesothelioma
patients. In August, the treatment was approved for non-Hodgkin lymphoma and
B-Cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia for Medicare patients. While the
treatment is approved, it can only be administered by FDA approved hospitals
and properly trained staff because immunotherapy can have negative side effects,
making it necessary that patients are monitored when receiving treatment. This
therapy can also bring hope and can potentially help patients whose cancers
have not responded to chemotherapy and radiation.
While CAR T-cell therapy has not been approved for mesothelioma
yet, a study using it on mesothelioma patients has shown promising results. The
study used T cells injected into patients’ chest cavities to target mesothelin.
The doctors then measured the amount of T cells and blood tumor markers in the
patients’ bodies. They also looked at the chest using body imaging to see if
the tumors shrank. The study resulted in tumors shrinking with no harmful side
effects in the patients receiving the treatment.
New developments in medicine like the CAR T-cell treatment can
greatly help patients with deadly cancers like mesothelioma. It is not yet
approved to treat mesothelioma, but is showing promising results. At some
point, it could be approved and help those suffering from mesothelioma extend
their lives and reduce their symptoms. Once this happens and the treatment is
covered by Medicare, many people’s lives will be improved.
Sources:
“CAR T Cells: Engineering Patients’ Immune Cells to Treat
Their Cancers” National Cancer Institute (July 30, 2019). [Link]
Dena Bunis, “Medicare to Cover Costly New Treatment for Some
Cancers” AARP (August 8, 2019). [Link]
“Mesothelin-targeted CAR T-cell therapy shows early promise
in patients with solid tumors” Science Daily (March 19, 2019). [Link]