The European Therapists Register - Dendritic Cell Therapy

Dendritic Cell Therapy
Dendritic cells are found in the bloodstream of everyone. They normally function as one of nature's most efficient immune function cells. Their usual function is to identify foreign substances, such as cancer cells, process these foreign substances, and then jumpstart the immune response by bringing these foreign substances to the attention of T cells. T cells, which have been activated in this fashion, are then capable of circulating throughout the whole body and destroying tumor cells. Unfortunately, left alone, dendritic cells are not very effective at jumpstarting the immune surveillance system. However, laboratory rats have shown that when dendritic cells are grown in the presence of a synthetic copy of the foreign materials of interests, a strong immune response can be initiated. In our study, we plan on using a patient's own dendritic cells, treating them in the testtube outside the body with the synthetic foreign material of interest, and then releasing the now modified dendritic cells back into the patient's own bloodstream. It is then hoped that these dendritic cells will be able to specifically train T cells to attack and kill all prostate and cancer cells that also have the same foreign material on their surface. (Source) Protocol/Procedures: Blood cells are removed from your body by a procedure called apheresis which involves removal of your blood through a catheter from an IV in your arm into a machine where cells called mononuclear cells will be separated from other cells and saved. The rest of the blood will then flow back into your body. This is a standard medical procedure which takes about three to four hours. The isolated cells are then taken to a laboratory where they are grown in sterile conditions. Isolated dendritic cells are then exposed to the synthetic foreign material found in most prostate cancer cells (an "antigen"). After 48 hours of processing, these cells are now ready for reinfusion into your body. Two days after your apheresis, your dendritic cells will be ready for reinfusion. At that point, you will be seen in the Outpatient Infusion Center UCSF/Mount Zion Cancer Center. Your own dendritic cells will be reinfused through a vein in your body over the course of 30 minutes. After being watched for an hour, you are free to leave. The cycle of apheresis followed by infusion of your stimulated dendritic cells occurs once every two weeks for a total of 3 times. We will then follow your PSA once a month. If your disease condition is improved or stable and if there have been no serious side effects, 3 months later one additional apheresis and treatment might be undertaken. Other than the outpatient visits for apheresis, and the short visits for infusion of your dendritic cells, there are no hospitalizations, and no need for you to be in San Francisco, if you do not live here. ( Source) Benefits/Conditions Treated: Biopulse clinics offer vaccines for several types of cancers. Each patient's own tumor antigens are used to create the vaccine. The first step is to obtain the dendritic cells from the patient's (or a donor's) blood. This is done through a process called apheresis. The dendritic cells are separated from other blood cells and enriched through incubation. When they are ready, the dendritic cells are activated with the antigens from the patient's tumor cells for use as a vaccine. This process normally takes 5 to 7 days. Biopulse-affiliated clinics have a variety of specialized cancer treatments, but dendritic cell therapy appears to be one of the most promising for many types of cancer, said Dr.Schramm, Medical Director at the Biopulse clinic in Mexico. "It shows promise especially for renal cell carcinoma and metastatic melanoma. These are areas we are actively pursuing. BioPulse International, Inc. (www.biopulse.com) identifies qualified clinics outside the United States and provides management and referral services to make it easier for people to find alternative and advanced treatments for cancer and other health problems. For more information, contact Jonathan Neville, president, Biopulse International, Inc., #801-523-0101. (Source) Hopefully these treatments should be available in Europe but no evidence at present time

Dendritic Cell Therapy

Dendritic cells are found in the bloodstream of everyone. They normally function as one of nature's most efficient immune function cells. Their usual function is to identify foreign substances, such as cancer cells, process these foreign substances, and then jumpstart the immune response by bringing these foreign substances to the attention of T cells. T cells, which have been activated in this fashion, are then capable of circulating throughout the whole body and destroying tumor cells. Unfortunately, left alone, dendritic cells are not very effective at jumpstarting the immune surveillance system. However, laboratory rats have shown that when dendritic cells are grown in the presence of a synthetic copy of the foreign materials of interests, a strong immune response can be initiated.

In our study, we plan on using a patient's own dendritic cells, treating them in the testtube outside the body with the synthetic foreign material of interest, and then releasing the now modified dendritic cells back into the patient's own bloodstream. It is then hoped that these dendritic cells will be able to specifically train T cells to attack and kill all prostate and cancer cells that also have the same foreign material on their surface.

(Source)

Protocol/Procedures:

Blood cells are removed from your body by a procedure called apheresis which involves removal of your blood through a catheter from an IV in your arm into a machine where cells called mononuclear cells will be separated from other cells and saved. The rest of the blood will then flow back into your body. This is a standard medical procedure which takes about three to four hours. The isolated cells are then taken to a laboratory where they are grown in sterile conditions. Isolated dendritic cells are then exposed to the synthetic foreign material found in most prostate cancer cells (an "antigen"). After 48 hours of processing, these cells are now ready for reinfusion into your body.

Two days after your apheresis, your dendritic cells will be ready for reinfusion. At that point, you will be seen in the Outpatient Infusion Center UCSF/Mount Zion Cancer Center. Your own dendritic cells will be reinfused through a vein in your body over the course of 30 minutes. After being watched for an hour, you are free to leave.

The cycle of apheresis followed by infusion of your stimulated dendritic cells occurs once every two weeks for a total of 3 times. We will then follow your PSA once a month. If your disease condition is improved or stable and if there have been no serious side effects, 3 months later one additional apheresis and treatment might be undertaken. Other than the outpatient visits for apheresis, and the short visits for infusion of your dendritic cells, there are no hospitalizations, and no need for you to be in San Francisco, if you do not live here.

( Source)

Benefits/Conditions Treated:

Biopulse clinics offer vaccines for several types of cancers. Each patient's own tumor antigens are used to create the vaccine. The first step is to obtain the dendritic cells from the patient's (or a donor's) blood. This is done through a process called apheresis. The dendritic cells are separated from other blood cells and enriched through incubation. When they are ready, the dendritic cells are activated with the antigens from the patient's tumor cells for use as a vaccine. This process normally takes 5 to 7 days.

Biopulse-affiliated clinics have a variety of specialized cancer treatments, but dendritic cell therapy appears to be one of the most promising for many types of cancer, said Dr.Schramm, Medical Director at the Biopulse clinic in Mexico. "It shows promise especially for renal cell carcinoma and metastatic melanoma. These are areas we are actively pursuing.

BioPulse International, Inc. (www.biopulse.com) identifies qualified clinics outside the United States and provides management and referral services to make it easier for people to find alternative and advanced treatments for cancer and other health problems. For more information, contact Jonathan Neville, president, Biopulse International, Inc., #801-523-0101.

(Source) Hopefully these treatments should be available in Europe but no evidence at present time

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