Gene therapy to cure cancer - science or fiction? (I am a Legend vs Real-life ASGCT)
By: Burhanuddin Aliasghar
CANCER
Cancer is the worst enemy of humanity, claiming more than 10 million deaths in 2020 according to WHO. Cancer happens when unhealthy cells multiply without stopping and hide from the immune system that is responsible for killing unwanted cells. Cancerous tumors spread into, or invade nearby tissues and can travel to distant places in the body to form new tumors (a process called metastasis). Cancerous cells develop due to errors that occur as cells divide, damage to DNA caused by harmful substances in the environment, such as the chemicals in tobacco smoke and ultraviolet rays from the sun, and inheritance from our parents. Conventional methods of treating cancer and even some modern ones are not so efficient to decrease the numbers.
As we see at the beginning of the movie “I am legend,” Dr. Alice, a biotechnologist claims to have cured cancer by mutating the measles virus. The movie then proceeds with the virus spreading uncontrollably and killing 90% of people immediately and making 9.8% of people into some zombie-like beings, while only a fraction of the population survives.
Dr. Robert (Will Smith) walking with a dog alone in NYC as he searches for survivors after an apocalyptic event.
Courtesy: I am legend
GENE THERAPY
But can we ever use gene therapy to cure cancer? The answer is gene therapy is being used to treat cancer. Many private and government organizations are working on gene therapy for decades. Cancer treatment is a common goal for these organizations. The most prominent organization is the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy which is the primary professional membership organization for gene and cell therapy. The Society's members are scientists, physicians, patient advocates, and other professionals working in a wide range of settings including universities, hospitals, government agencies, foundations, and biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.
The mission of ASGCT is to advance knowledge, awareness, and education leading to the discovery and clinical application of genetic and cellular therapies to alleviate human disease. ASGCT's strategic vision is to be a catalyst for bringing together scientists, physicians, patient advocates, and other stakeholders to transform the practice of medicine by incorporating the use of genetic and cellular therapies to control and cure human disease. ASGCT is responsible for recognizing and monitoring thousands of research experiments throughout the world.
Although gene therapy is researched for decades, it was until recently it became bright. The advent of a new gene-editing method called CRISPR made the destination clear for curing diseases like cancer. CRISPR has reduced the budget and time accelerating the research of gene therapy. The CISPR Cas-9 has shown that faulty parts of human genomes can be replaced. Although there are still no approved gene therapy treatments with CRISPR, many are being researched.
Jennifer Dounda (left) and Emmanuelle Charpentier, pioneers of CRISPR gene editing.
Courtesy: World-grain.com
Current treatments of Cancer like drugs, radiotherapy, and surgical intervention have very little efficacy. Lung cancer is responsible for most of the cancer deaths in the world. Doctors predict that over 235000 new lung cancer patients will be admitted to hospitals and more than 135000 people with lung cancer will die in 2021 in the US alone. Gene and cell therapies represent an exciting option for the treatment and prevention of LC. There are currently 146 active and recruiting clinical trials involving gene therapies for LC and an astounding 1,833 trials involving cell therapies. This highlights the wealth of fantastic research and advances currently being explored. Gene therapies can work to correct the genetic defects which have given rise to cancer whereas most cell therapy research looks at the delivery of immune cells to eliminate the cancer cells.
Can we cure cancer with viruses?
In the movie, the doctor claims to have mutated a measles viral strain to cure cancer. It is possible to mutate a virus in labs. This may be done by exposing the virus to a different virus which allows genetic recombination. Although this is possible it is very unlikely that any institution in the world may try to find the cure for cancer through genetic mutations in a deadly virus. No proof injecting a person with a viral strain may improve the person’s immune response so much that it inhibits cancer. There is currently no link found to be between cancer and viruses. The information presented in the movie has no scientific backing.
Dr. Alice claiming to have cured cancer in an interview.
Courtesy: I am legend
The Future?
Gene therapy will be an available cure for cancer in no time and Cancer will be a normal disease. Gene therapy has a bright future because it has applications beyond cancer treatment. As genetic modifications will be done in future, it is possible that we may never see cancer again. Although we may deplete cancer, nature always has its way to continue the balance.
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