Adoptive Cell Transfers is a medical term used in immunotherapy. The correct pronunciation of "adoptive" is /əˈdɒptɪv/. The word "cell" is pronounced as /sɛl/. "Transfers" is pronounced as /trænsˈfɜrz/. When combined, the pronunciation of this medical term is /əˈdɒptɪv sɛl trænsˈfɜrz/. This therapy involves transferring immune cells, such as T cells, into a cancer patient's body to boost their immune system's ability to fight cancer. It has shown promising results in treating certain types of cancer.
Adoptive Cell Transfer (ACT) is a therapeutic approach utilized in the field of immunotherapy that involves the transfer of genetically modified or naturally occurring immune cells into a patient's body to combat diseases, particularly cancer. This technique aims to harness the natural capabilities of the immune system to selectively target and eliminate cancer cells.
In ACT, immune cells, such as T cells or natural killer cells, are isolated from the patient's blood or tumor tissue and are then expanded, genetically modified, or activated in the laboratory setting before being reinfused into the patient through intravenous infusion. These manipulated cells are often equipped with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) or enhanced T cell receptors (TCRs) to enhance their cancer-targeting capabilities.
Upon administration, the adoptively transferred cells migrate throughout the circulatory and lymphatic systems of the patient, seeking out cancer cells based on specific surface markers or antigens. Once these modified immune cells encounter their target, they initiate a cascade of immune responses aimed at destroying the cancer cells directly or by activating other components of the immune system.
Adoptive Cell Transfer represents a promising immunotherapeutic approach capable of overcoming the limitations of conventional cancer treatments. It holds significant potential for patients with refractory or metastatic cancers that have become unresponsive to standard therapies. The ongoing research and advancements in this field strive to improve the efficacy, safety, and accessibility of ACT, with the ultimate goal of providing durable and curative treatment options for cancer patients.