#Shorts - The Key to Unlocking Cancer Treatment?

Did you know that you hold the key to unlocking a cure to cancer? When our body encounters a pathogen, it initiates a cascade of events that works to eliminate the foreign material. A key fighter in this battle includes our T-cells, which are immune cells that have very specific targets that endanger the body. However, this battle relies on the T-cells ability to find the specific invader. In some cases, like with cancer cells, the invaders are able to avoid capture by the T-cells. CAR T-Cell therapy falls under a branch of therapy that acts as reinforcement when our immune system needs some extra support. But how does this miracle technique work and what are the associated downfalls? Check out our channel for an introduction and exploration of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy. This video will take viewers through the various molecular players involved, the general immune pathway and how CAR T-cell therapy is performed. Following this, this video will also highlight some of the limitations and/or side effects of this method and resources for further research, all in layman’s terms.

The #Shorts was created at McMaster University students, Hadia Saleem, Simran Saggu, and Amirreza Taghabadi in collaboration with the McMaster Demystifying Medicine program.

This video is provided for general and educational information only. Please consult your health care provider for Information about your health.

Copyright McMaster University 2021.

For more information and resources, you can visit the following websites:

National Cancer Institute
American Cancer Society
Cancer Care Ontario

References

CAR T-cell Therapy and Its Side Effects. (n.d.). Retrieved October 25, 2021, from
CAR-T Production: Surmounting Limitations. (2021, September 30). BioProcess International.
g-clinical-and-bioprocess-limitations/
Dr. Baljevic on the Current Limitations of CAR T-Cell Therapy in Multiple Myeloma. (n.d.). Retrieved October 25, 2021, from
-in-multiple-myeloma
How does cancer evade the immune system? New mechanism revealed. (2017, November 28).
How Does CAR T-Cell Therapy Work in Treating Cancer? (2021, June 17). Cancer.Net.
Jiang, X., Wang, J., Deng, X., Xiong, F., Ge, J., Xiang, B., Wu, X., Ma, J., Zhou, M., Li, X., Li, Y., Li, G., Xiong, W., Guo, C., &
Sterner, R. C., & Sterner, R. M. (2021). CAR-T cell therapy: Current limitations and potential strategies. Blood Cancer Journal,