Adoptive Cell Transfer is a medical procedure used to treat cancer patients by transferring immune cells from a healthy donor to the patient. The word adoptive is pronounced /əˈdɒptɪv/, with the stress on the second syllable. The phonetic transcription of cell is /sel/, pronounced with a clear /s/ sound. Transfer is pronounced /trænsˈfɜː/, with the stress on the first syllable and a clear /t/ sound. The spelling of the word accurately represents the pronunciation of each syllable, making it easy to understand and communicate.
Adoptive cell transfer refers to a therapeutic approach in which immune cells, such as T cells or natural killer (NK) cells, are extracted from a patient's own body, modified or expanded in the laboratory, and then re-infused back into the patient to promote the immune system's ability to specifically recognize and destroy abnormal cells. This technique is commonly used in cancer immunotherapy where it aims to boost the body's immune response against cancer cells.
The process of adoptive cell transfer typically involves isolating immune cells from the patient's peripheral blood or tumor tissue. These cells are then genetically engineered or activated in the laboratory to enhance their anti-tumor properties. This can involve techniques like chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) or T cell receptor (TCR) gene transfer, where receptors specific to cancer-associated antigens are introduced into the patient's immune cells.
Following the modification or expansion process, the activated immune cells are carefully infused back into the patient's bloodstream. Once inside the body, these re-engineered immune cells can recognize and selectively target cancer cells, initiating a potent immune response. By precisely targeting cancer cells, adoptive cell transfer therapy aims to minimize damage to healthy tissues while maximizing the destruction of malignant cells.
Adoptive cell transfer has shown significant promise in the treatment of various cancers, including melanoma and certain hematological malignancies. Ongoing research and clinical trials are continuously exploring novel strategies to optimize this therapy's effectiveness and extend its application to a broader range of cancer types and patient populations.