Cell-Killing Cancer Therapy Treats Lupus Successfully
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In a first-of-its-kind clinical trial, researchers in Germany used a cancer-killing cell therapy to successfully treat lupus in a small number of patients. Their study, published online September 15 in Nature Medicine, included five patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). All of the patients were treated with genetically engineered T cells known as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, a treatment regularly used to kill cancer cells. Researchers harvested the patients' immune cells and engineered them to destroy dysfunctional cells when infused back into the body.
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@anshula Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease in which the immune system attacks the body's own cells. Both antibody-producing B and T cells in individuals with lupus become overactive, which can lead to a flare of symptoms that range from mild pain and fatigue to life-threatening inflammation and tissue damage. They are often treated with medications that deplete their B cells or change the way they function to help wipe out infected cells.