Sep. 13, 2012 Researchers at Uppsala University have cloned a
T-cell receptor that binds to an antigen associated with
prostate cancer and breast cancer. T cells that have been
genetically equipped with this T-cell receptor have the ability
to specifically kill prostate and breast cancer cells. The study
is being published this week in the Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences. Genetically modified T cells (white blood
corpuscles) have recently been shown to be extremely effective
in treating certain forms of advanced cancer. T cells from the
patient's own blood cells are isolated and equipped by genetic
means with a new receptor that recognizes an antigen that is
expressed in the tumour cells. These T cells are cultivated in a
special clean room and then administered to the patient. Once
inside the body, they seek out sub tumours and individual tumour
cells and eliminate them. This form of treatment attracted major
attention in the world media last autumn when researchers at the
University of Penns