Page 28 - aruba-today-20191109

A28 SCIENCE
Saturday 9 November 2019
Doctors try CRISPR gene editing for cancer, a 1st in the U.S.

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE a sarcoma, cancer that
AP Chief Medical Writer forms in connective or soft
The first attempt in the Unit- tissue. All had failed mul-
ed States to use a gene tiple standard treatments
editing tool called CRISPR and were out of good op-
against cancer seems safe tions.
in the three patients who Their blood was filtered to
have had it so far, but it's remove immune system
too soon to know if it will soldiers called T cells, which
improve survival, doctors were modified in the lab
reported Wednesday. and then returned to the
The doctors were able to patients through an IV. It's
take immune system cells intended as a one-time
from the patients' blood treatment. The cells should
and alter them genetically multiply into an army within
to help them recognize the body and act as a liv-
and fight cancer, with mini- ing drug.
mal and manageable side So far, the cells have sur-
effects. vived and have been mul-
The treatment deletes tiplying as intended, Stadt-
three genes that might In this January 2019 image made from video provided by Penn Medicine, IV bags of CRISPR- mauer said.
edited T cells are prepared for administering to a patient at the Abramson Cancer Center in
have been hindering these Philadelphia. "This is a brand new thera-
cells' ability to attack the Associated Press py" so not it's not clear how
disease, and adds a new, Gene editing is a way to tech company, Tmunity benefit from patents and soon any anti-cancer ef-
fourth feature to help them permanently change DNA Therapeutics. Several study licenses on the technology. fects will be seen. Following
do the job. to attack the root causes leaders and the university Two of the patients have these patients longer, and
"It's the most complicated of a disease. CRISPR is a have a financial stake in multiple myeloma, a blood testing more of them, will
genetic, cellular engineer- tool to cut DNA at a spe- the company and may cancer, and the third has tell, he said.q
ing that's been attempted cific spot.
so far," said the study lead- It's long been used in the Mercury putting on rare show
er, Dr. Edward Stadtmauer lab and is being tried for
of the University of Pennsyl- other diseases. Monday, parading across the sun
vania in Philadelphia. "This This study is not aimed at
is proof that we can safely changing DNA within a per-
do gene editing of these son's body. Instead it seeks By MARCIA DUNN transits a century. Monday, entering around
cells." to remove, alter and give AP Aerospace Writer You'll need proper eye the 8 o'clock mark and
After two to three months, back to the patient cells CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. protection for Monday's exiting around the 2
one patient's cancer con- that are super-powered to (AP) — Mercury is putting spectacle: Telescopes o'clock point.
tinued to worsen and an- fight their cancer — a form on a rare celestial show or binoculars with solar Although the trek will
other was stable. The third of immunotherapy. next week, parading filters are recommended. appear slow, Mercury
patient was treated too Chinese scientists report- across the sun in view of There's no harm in pulling will zoom across the sun
recently to know how she'll edly have tried this for can- most of the world. out the eclipse glasses at roughly 150,000 mph
fare. The plan is to treat cer patients, but this is the The solar system's from the total solar (241,000 kph).
15 more patients and as- first such study outside that smallest, innermost planet eclipse across the U.S. NASA will broadcast the
sess safety and how well it country. It's so novel that it will resemble a tiny black two years ago, but it transit as seen from the
works. took more than two years dot Monday as it passes would take "exceptional orbiting Solar Dynamics
"It's very early, but I'm in- to get approval from U.S. directly between Earth vision" to spot minuscule Observatory, with only
credibly encouraged by government regulators to and the sun. It begins at Mercury, said NASA solar a brief lag. Scientists
this," said one independent try it. 7:35 a.m. EST. astrophysicist Alex Young. will use the transit to
expert, Dr. Aaron Gerds, a The early results were re- The entire 5 ½-hour event Mercury is 3,000 miles fine-tune telescopes,
Cleveland Clinic cancer leased by the American will be visible, weather (4,800 kilometers) in especially those in space
specialist. Society of Hematology; permitting, in the eastern diameter, compared with that cannot be adjusted
Other cell therapies for details will be given at its U.S. and Canada, and the sun's 864,000 miles (1.4 by hand, according to
some blood cancers "have annual conference in De- all Central and South million kilometers.) Young.
been a huge hit, taking dis- cember. America. The rest of During its 2012 transit It's this kind of transit
eases that are uncurable The study is sponsored by North America, Europe of the sun, larger and that allows scientists to
and curing them," and the the University of Pennsylva- and Africa will catch part closer Venus was barely discover alien worlds.
gene editing may give a nia, the Parker Institute for of the action. Asia and detectable by Young Periodic, fleeting dips
way to improve on those, Cancer Immunotherapy in Australia will miss out. with his solar-viewing of starlight indicate an
he said. San Francisco, and a bio- Unlike its 2016 transit, glasses. orbiting planet.
Mercury will score a "That's really close to the "Transits are a visible
near bull's-eye this time, limit of what you can see," demonstration of how
passing practically dead he said earlier this week. the planets move around
center in front of our star. "So Mercury's going to the sun, and everyone
Mercury's next transit probably be too small." with access to the right
isn't until 2032, and Venus transits are much equipment should take
North America won't rarer. The next one isn't a look," Mike Cruise,
get another viewing until 2117. president of the Royal
opportunity until 2049. Mercury will cut a Astronomical Society,
Earthlings get treated diagonal path left to said in a statement from
to just 13 or 14 Mercury right across the sun on England.q