BiTEs and CAR-Ts : immunotherapy in childhood B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

• Main Author: Besada, Rana Hany
• Other Authors: Michael T. Hemann.
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2018
• Subjects: Biology.
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/115699

Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Biology, 2018. === Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. === Includes bibliographical references (pages 18-21). === B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the most common pediatric cancer, responsible for the most cancer-related deaths in children. Advances in chemotherapy over the past half-century have steadily increased the remission and survival of children with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia to nearly 90%. However, the problems of minimal residual disease and relapsed and refractory disease persist. Personalized, targeted therapies have improved outcomes among the minority of patients for whom chemotherapy is ineffective. Immunotherapy, specifically bispecific T-cell engaging antibody therapy and chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, has proven an effective treatment for relapsed and refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children. These new modalities, however, have also introduced new adverse side effects to the treatment regimen. Though immunotherapy has increased remission and survival, more work must be done to reduce adverse effects and eliminate relapsed and refractory disease. === by Rana Hany Besada. === S.M.