Australian Researchers Use Stem Cells to Treat Leukemia

Australian Researchers Use Stem Cells to Treat Leukemia

Dr. Geoff Hill from the Queensland Institute for Medical Research was quoted in an ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Company) report as saying, “What we have seen is that a newly identified type of white cell called a natural killer T-cell is critical in eradicating leukaemia after transplant.” This ties in with the recent news about deriving natural killers from stem cells (Blog Post “Embryonic Stem Cells Can Generate Cancer-Killing Cells” on 10/11/05).

Leukemia is commonly treated with bone marrow transplants, because this gives the body a new set of stem cells to control the production of white blood cells. However, the disease often recurs. Scientists at the QIMR are using a different method of collecting stem cells to encourage the natural killer cells “to turn on.” Nine months after the trial, none of the patients treated have relapsed.

Technical details on much research preceding this study are available at the QIMR website page on Bone Marrow Transplantation. Much of it focuses on the issues of the body’s rejection of foreign cells from a donor (GVHD, or graft versus host disease). The site does not yet have details of the current study, I will keep my eyes open.