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T-cell therapy for cancer: viable option for treatment of all cancers — Virologist

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T-cell therapy for cancer: viable option for treatment of all cancers — Virologist

Dr Solomon Chollom, a Virologist with Virology Research Division of National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Plateau says “the new researched cancer treatment called T-cell is a viable option for the treatment of all cancers.”

Chollom indicated this on Monday in Abuja, while reacting to the novel cancer treatment option by researchers at Cardiff University, Wales, UK.

The virologist said the discovery is a form of immunotherapy where T-Cells are programmed to attack cancer cells and spare normal cells.

According to him, T-cell therapies for cancer – when T-cells are removed, modified and returned to the patient’s blood to seek and destroy cancer cells – are the latest paradigm in cancer treatment.

He added that the most widely-used therapy known as CAR-T, was a personalised to each patient but targets only a few types of cancers.

He, however, explained that the CAR-T therapy had not been successful for solid tumours, which made up the vast majority of cancers.

He said that the Cardiff researchers had now discovered T-cells, equipped with new type of T-Cell Receptor (TCR) which recognises and kills most human cancer types, while ignoring healthy cells.

Chollom said that the TCR recognised a molecule present on the surface of a wide range of cancer cells as in many of the body’s normal cells, noting that “remarkably, it is able to distinguish between healthy cells and cancerous ones, killing only the latter.”

The expert said that Immunotherapy refers to the treatment of diseases by either activating or suppressing the immune system.

He added that “it is essential to note that when the approach is designed to elicit or amplify an immune response, it is called activation immunotherapy.

Also read:  Diabetes, cancer, others can be detected through eye check – Pathologist

“However, when the approach is designed to reduce or suppress activities of the immune system, it is called suppression immunotherapy.”

He said that the recent announcement by the Cardiff researchers over the discovery of a category of T-cells with potential to be used as universal
cancer treatment option was novel.

He said that “it falls under the category of activation immunotherapy.

“The new discovery is about some clonally selected T-cells which come with different T-cell receptor (TCR) which upon activation, recognises and kills almost all forms of cancer cells while avoiding healthy cells in the body.

“Broadly referred to as `Holy Grail’ treatment, the immune product is an upgrade of the hitherto most widely used T-cell therapy called CAR-T, which is patient specific and cancer specific.”

According to him, CAR-T is personal to a patient at a time and one or two cancer types at a time. This is its limitation which the newly discovered “Holy Grail” has advantage over. Thus it’s being branded ‘universal’ cancer therapy.

“In the new treatment, the TCR recognises many types of cancers through a single HLA-like molecule called MR1. MR1.

“Unlike typical HLA molecules that vary from one person to another CAR-T is very stable and present in all humans hence its successful used in this designed.

“In view of the above, the new cancer treatment option will likely serve as broad spectrum therapy or a one model fit-for-all cancers plaguing man.”

He said that as an immunotherapy, it would offer safer treatment option than virotherapy for fear of reversion to wild form in virotherapy .

He said: “it should naturally be safer than radiotherapy in view of the possibility of long term cumulative effect of radiation in the body when radiotherapy is employed.

“Similarly, it should be better than chemotherapy for its lack of adverse effects on other organs of the body as it is always the case with most chemotherapies.”

Chollom said it was left to be seen if this would offer cheaper treatment option as most cancer therapies were expensive.

Prof. Oliver Ottmann, the Head of Haematology, Division of Cancer and Genetics at Cardiff University, Wales, UK, recently delivered the

CAR-T therapy, a new type of T-cell therapy with enormous potential to overcome current limitations of the CAR-T treatment for cancer.

 

Health and Safety

NDLEA nabs male passenger carrying 4,000 tramadol pills in MMIA

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NDLEA nabs male passenger carrying 4,000 tramadol pills in MMIA

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a male passenger carrying 4,000 tramadol pills at the Muhammad Murtala International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja, Lagos

This is contained in a statement by the NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi on Sunday in Abuja.

Babafemi said that NDLEA officers at the gate ‘C ‘departure hall of the Lagos airport on Friday foiled the suspect’s attempt to export the pills to Malpensa, Italy on an Ethiopian Airline flight.

He said that the psychoactive substance was found concealed in women’s wear and granulated melon packed in the suspect’s backpack and another bag containing food items.

“In his statement, the suspect who is a frequent flyer confessed he was hired for 700 Euros on successful delivery of the consignment in Italy, “ he said.

Meanwhile, In Bayelsa, NDLEA operatives on  April 24 arrested a 28-year-old woman in Amarata area of Yenagoa.

Babafemi said that she was arrested for producing and distributing cakes laced with illicit drugs especially cannabis sativa.

According to him, at the time of her arrest, a substantial number of the drugged cakes weighing 1.5kg were recovered from her.

Also, A 20-year-old hair stylist, and a dispatch rider, were arrested on March 10 by NDLEA operatives in Yenagoa for a similar offence.

Illicit drugs intercepted by the NDLEA operatives

In the same vein and were arrested with 24,180 ampoules of pentazocine injection weighing 135.5 kilograms at Sabon Tasha, Kaduna.

Babafemi said that a teenager was also nabbed with 20.700kg of cannabis when his house in Shuware area of Mubi, Adamawa state was raided on April 26.

In another development, No less than 310.7kg of cannabis was recovered on April 25 when NDLEA operatives raided parts of Mushin in Lagos state.

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Health and Safety

19 Burnt To Death In Kogi Auto Crash – FRSC

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19 Burnt To Death In Kogi Auto Crash – FRSC

The Public Education Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Assistant Corps Marshal Jonas Agwu stated in Abuja that the crash involved a Dangote Cement truck and a Toyota Hiace bus.

He stated that it took operatives of the FRSC, battling through the accompanying inferno, three hours to rescue two surviving victims of the crash.

Agwu added that the Toyota bus was travelling from Kano and was on its lane when the Dangote truck driver travelling from Port Harcourt wrongfully overtook a vehicle and collided head-on with the bus.

“The impact of the collision resulted in an inferno that burnt the victims to death.

“The crash, which was caused by route violation and wrongful overtaking, involved 22 persons, all male.

“Unfortunately, 19 persons out of the 22 victims were killed, while one was injured.

“The two victims who got rescued by FRSC operatives survived without injuries because they complied with traffic regulations on the compulsory use of seatbelts.

“Corpses retrieved from the crash were deposited at Okene General Hospital,’’ Agwu stated.

FRSC rescue team at the crash scene

Agwu assured that the driver of the Dangote truck would be prosecuted following directives earlier issued by the Corps Marshal, Alhaji Dauda Ali-Biu.

Ali-Biu had in the past called on the judiciary, the leadership of transport unions and other relevant stakeholders to join hands with the FRSC to restore sanity to Nigerian roads through speedy and effective prosecution. 

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Health and Safety

Troops Neutralise 192 Terrorists, Apprehend 341 Others In 1 Week – DHQ

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Troops Neutralise 192 Terrorists, Apprehend 341 Others In 1 Week – DHQ

The Defence Headquarters says troops have in the last one week neutralised 192 terrorists, apprehended 341 others and rescued 62 kidnapped hostages.

It also said a total of 122 ISWAP/JAS terrorists surrendered with their families.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba said this at a news briefing on operations of the Armed Forces of Nigeria across the country on Thursday in Abuja.

Buba said the troops also recovered 211 assorted weapons and 6,288 assorted ammunition within the week.

He said the recovered items comprised 128 AK.47 rifles, 26 Dane guns, 1,301 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 3,260 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 1,325 live cartridges, and 140 rounds of 9mm ammunition among other items.

In the North East, Buba said the troops of Operation Hadin Kai neutralised 71 terrorists, arrested 143 suspects and rescued 58  kidnapped hostages during the week.

He added that the air component conducted air strikes on ISWAP/JAS terrorists’ hideouts and logistics hub, including their food processing unit in Kolleram village, along Lake Chad.

According to him, the Battle Damage Assessment revealed that over 30 terrorists, including senior commanders; Ali Dawud, Bakura Fallujah and Mallam Ari, were neutralised as well as their logistics were destroyed as a result of the strike.

In the North Central, Buba said the troops of Operations Safe Haven and Whirl Stroke neutralised 29 insurgents, arrested 53 violent extremists and rescued eight kidnapped hostages.

In the North West, he said the troops of Operation Hadarin Daji neutralised 62 terrorists, arrested 49 terrorists and rescued 36 kidnapped hostages.

He added that troops of Operation Whirl Punch arrested 14 criminals and recovered cache of arms and ammunition as well as military accoutrements.

According to him, other items recovered are 620 parcels of substances suspected to be marijuana, 10 Yoruba Nation flags, eight mobile phones, and four handheld radios, among other items.

In the South-South, Buba said the troops of Operation Delta Safe had maintained momentum against activities of crude oil theft and recovered 792,660 litres of stolen crude oil and 117,070 litres of illegally refined AGO.

He added that troops discovered and destroyed 31 illegal refining sites with 99 dugout pits, 11 boats, 29 storage tanks, 192 cooking ovens and nine vehicles.

According to him, troops apprehended 27 suspected oil thieves and other violent extremists, recovering five weapons and 162 assorted ammunition.

In the South-East, the defence spokesman said the troops of Operation UDOKA neutralised nine terrorists, arrested 11 violent extremists, rescued 17 kidnapped hostages and recovered weapons. 

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