Neoantigens Enable Personalized Cancer Immunotherapy

[Juliette02]

Hi hope everyone's having a sunny day in every sense of the word - I can't begin to tell you what a difference a bit of warm sunshine does for me. Anyway not sure if the article below has done the rounds but I found it posted today on FB. While I personally would not describe it as 'light reading' you can certainly get the gist - One size does not fit all x

mobile.the-scientist.com/ar...

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator]

You could title this beyond CAR-T, describing as it does a similar use of T cells that specifically target cancerous clones that have developed mutations that distinguish them from healthy cells. Applied to CLL, this would mean patients treated by this means wouldn't need IgG infusions for the rest of their lives, because healthy B-lymphocytes would not be targeted by this treatment.

The article also identifies the challenges involved in this therapy working well - and it is likely to be even more expensive than custom CAR-T therapy and possibly have a lower chance of success, given not all cancerous cells can be targeted - it requires 'clonal evolution' to deliver cancerous clones that differ from healthy cells. Good internal references too.

Thanks for the interesting read,

Neil

[Juliette02 in reply to AussieNeil]

Thanks for contextualising this Neil !

On a separate note and referring back to a link within a post you posted 4 yrs back !

Safe eating for poor immune function.

health.qld.gov.au/__data/as...

I was really disappointed to find Probiotic drinks/yoghurts, Probiotic capsules/powders on this list of unsafe foods.As I've very recently started using bought goats milk Kefir (From a reputable supplier) in the hope it can help me with my stomach problems or more appropriately my gut micro-biome. Wanting to try and balance a few 'things' out i.e. certain 'irritations' 'ailments' associated with my CLL.I am nearly 12 months in on my W&W perilous expedition and clearly, like all the good folk here, am trying to help myself as best as I can.

However upon reading this Do's & Don't list am I 'poisoning' myself and potentially putting myself at more risk ?

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator in reply to Juliette02]

The advisability of eating foods which could be unsafe really needs a separate post, but in short it depends on your degree of neutropenia, which I couldn't see whether you've disclosed anywhere. Note also that Kefir can have several times the concentration of bacterial cultures than probiotic yoghurts. Cllcanada has previously posted a case study reference regarding a CLL patient who became ill from eating probiotics, so we do need to take the risk seriously. Personally I've had no difficulty with commercially produced probiotic yoghurts, despite a neutrophil count varying between 0.26 and 0.9, but as we all differ in our susceptibility to different infection vectors, what I can get away with may not be the case for another. Skin infections are what causes my hospital stays.

Neil

[Juliette02 in reply to AussieNeil]

Thanks Neil will take a look at Cllcanada's post. Not sure of my neutropenia but will ask.

My 'upsets' are my sinus pain ( on & off and all nice folk here hear my moans ! ) My poor stomach so I have taken to not eating large meals after 6.30pm - Does help - And my bladder - The latter 2 led me to probiotic - And I feel OK and have felt some improvement - I only take a 175ml each morning so it's not as if I'm drowning myself in the stuff ! But will research more and mention it to the medics !

Anyway so sorry about your own challenges - And fortunately I've not been 'admitted' Although some days ( Sorry but I do not mean to sound flippant here ) But some days I could do with some respite ( Even if it was just from my own head space ! )

But not great if you have to go in rather than have a choice !

I presume the benefits/use of 'manuka' have been considered/tried ?

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator in reply to Juliette02]

If you are neutropenic, unpasteurised honey is another no no. I'm not sure if you still get the antibiotic benefits of pasteurised manuka honey...