ABOUT CANCER

Cancer is a disease caused by mutations in genes or DNA in the genome of human cells . This mutation may occur spontaneously from the error during DNA synthesis or be triggered by exposure to toxins or carcinogens in food, water, air, and environment. The mutated cells are thus divided at an abnormal rate and turn into cancer cells.

As different types of cancer confer distinct characteristics, the treatments are varied. Standard cancer treatment methods are surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy using drug treatment or biological matter, such as monoclonal antibodies.

However, a new effective and specific treatment is being developed namely cellular immunotherapy. This method is currently under investigation both in laboratory and clinical settings. 

Cellular immunotherapy is the method that utilizes a patient's immune cells, which are low in number and function, to stimulate or modify in the laboratory to improve their anti-cancer function.  The activated immune cells are expanded and re-infused back into the patient's body to act as a living drug for cancer treatment. This method is safe as the patient's own immune cells are used to treat the patient. The safety and efficacy of this strategy were also demonstrated in clinical trials.