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New discovery could lead to ‘fundamental’ change in leukemia treatment

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Researchers have identified a new cell mechanism that could lead to a fundamental change in the diagnosis and treatment of leukaemia.

A team in the University of Kent’s pharmacy school conducted a study that discovered that leukaemia cells release a protein, known as galctin-9, that prevents a patient’s own immune system from killing cancerous blood cells.

Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) – a type of blood cancer that affects over 250,000 people every year worldwide – progresses rapidly because its cells are capable of avoiding the patient’s immune surveillance. It does this by inactivating the body’s immune cells, cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells.

Existing treatment strategies consist of aggressive chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation, which often do not result in effective remission of the disease. This is because of a lack of understanding of the molecular mechanisms that allow malignant cells to escape attack by the body’s immune cells.

Now the researchers at the Medway School of Pharmacy, led by Dr Vadim Sumbayev, Dr Bernhard Gibbs and Professor Yuri Ushkaryov, have found that leukaemia cells – but not healthy blood cells – express a receptor called latrophilin 1 (LPHN1). Stimulation of this receptor causes these cancer cells to release galectin-9, which then prevents the patient’s immune system from fighting the cancer cells.

The discovery of this cell mechanism paves the way for new ‘biomarkers’ for AML diagnosis, as well as potential targets for AML immune therapy, say the researchers.

‘Targeting this pathway will crucially enhance patients own immune defences, helping them to eliminate leukaemia cells’, said Dr Sumbayev. He added that the discovery has the potential to also be beneficial in the treatment of other cancers.

Article: The Tim-3-galectin-9 Secretory Pathway is Involved in the Immune Escape of Human Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells, Vadim V. Sumbayev et al., EBioMedicine, doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2017.07.018, published online 19 July 2017.

Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/318700.php

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How to Detect Symptoms of Leukemia at an Early Stage!!

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Rishi Kapoor passed away yesterday, at the age of 67, after losing a two-year battle against leukemia. He was diagnosed with cancer back in 2018 and was being treated for the disease since then. Leukemia is basically a type of cancer which affects blood-forming tissues, including bone marrow, hindering the body’s ability to fight any kind of infection. It is caused due to the rise in the number of white blood cells in our body. The white blood cells then crowd out red blood cells and platelets, affecting their production, which is required for a healthy body.

Here are a few symptoms of leukemia, which will help you detect the disease at an early stage:

Unexplained weight loss

Loss of appetite and continuous weight loss is the first warning sign of leukemia. You might feel tired all the time and won’t feel like eating anything. Feeling of nausea might become constant. If you feel yourself losing weight without exercise or dieting, make sure you contact your doctor and get yourself tested.

Discomfort under the lower rib

Due to an enlarged liver or spleen, there might be a constant discomfort under the lower rib. Leukemia patients usually suffer from swollen nodes, which is the reason why this symptom is a unique one. It is better to get yourself tested if you detect this symptom, accompanied with any other symptoms that follow.

Tiny red spots on skin

Another unique symptom that people with leukemia might notice is tiny red spots on their skin. These spots are usually caused by tiny broken blood vessels, called capillaries, under the skin. You might notice these red spots on your arms, legs and back.

Easy bruises

People suffering from leukemia are more susceptible to bruising, than other people. They might get severe bruises or bleeding, even from small knocks. As there aren’t enough platelets in the blood of leukemia patients, the body cannot prevent blood vessels from bleeding under the skin upon injury.

Frequent infections

If you get infections from time to time, then you must get yourself checked immediately. Recurrent infections can occur because the patient’s body is not able to produce enough white blood cells to keep the immune system working. This means that the body is not able to efficiently destroy viruses, bacteria or fungi that have made their way into the body.

Excessive sweating at night

Do you wake up at night drenched with sweat, even when the room is not that hot? This is a warning sign of leukemia and can occur frequently. Though, it is not the only symptom. Get yourself checked, if you notice night sweats, which are accompanied by the above given symptoms.

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/how-to-detect-symptoms-of-leukemia-at-an-early-stage/photostory/75473587.cms?picid=75473600

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