Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
Oscar Murphy, a 28-year-old diagnosed with a particularly aggressive form of blood cancer, has recently become the first patient to receive a groundbreaking treatment on the NHS for B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (B-cell ALL). Treated at Manchester Royal Infirmary, Oscar described the therapy as both “fantastic” and “very sci-fi.” This innovative approach, known as CAR-T therapy, involves infusing a patient’s own genetically modified immune cells to specifically seek out and target cancer cells. NHS England has approved funding to make this immunotherapy available across several centers in the country, expecting around 50 patients annually to benefit.
Oscar’s journey began in March 2025 when he was diagnosed with B-cell ALL. Despite undergoing chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant in July, his cancer returned by November. He explained, “The leukaemia I’ve got is so fast-acting. It needs an even quicker response to stop it. And we’ve now got an answer for that.” The CAR-T therapy, which was highlighted in a clinical trial showing 77% remission rates and a median survival extension of over 15 months, offers a much safer and more effective alternative to traditional treatments. According to his haematologist, Dr Eleni Tholouli, this therapy not only extends life but also has the potential to cure, revolutionizing treatment for this aggressive cancer.
The procedure involves extracting T-cells, a type of white blood cell, from the patient and sending them to a specialist lab where they are reprogrammed with a harmless virus. This process introduces a genetic sequence that equips the cells with new receptors functioning like a lock and key to identify and destroy cancer cells. These modified cells, now called CAR T-cells, are multiplied into the millions before being frozen and sent back to the hospital for infusion. Oscar’s treatment consisted of two infusions; the first delivered 100 million CAR T-cells, followed by a second infusion of 300 million cells to complete the therapy. Despite the small volume, Oscar marveled at the potency of the treatment, saying, “It’s very sci-fi, but if it means it gets rid of the cancer permanently and my own cells can do it it’s just fantastic.”
Manufactured by a UK-based company, Autolus, CAR-T therapy has recently expanded on the NHS to include adults with B-cell ALL. While previously available for some leukaemia and lymphoma types, this new extension has been embraced by experts who envision its use as a first-line treatment ahead of stem cell transplantation in the future. The NHS currently offers the therapy at multiple English centers, with patients from Wales and Northern Ireland also required to travel to England. NHS officials see this as a landmark development for patients with aggressive blood cancers, highlighting the UK’s role in its scientific development. Meanwhile, patients like Chris Williams, who received the treatment during its experimental phase, continue to enjoy long-term remission and improved quality of life. Oscar, who recently married his fiancée Lauren in hospital due to the uncertainty of his condition, looks forward to a future filled with hope and normalcy
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.