US doctors defeat leukemia with modified HIV

US doctors defeat leukemia with modified HIV
 
NEW YORK: US doctors say they have saved a seven-year-old girl who was close to dying from leukemia by pioneering the use of an unlikely ally: a modified form of the HIV virus.
After fighting her disease with chemotherapy for almost two years and suffering two relapses, the young girl "faced grim prospects," doctors at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia said.
So in February this year they agreed to take her on in an experimental program that fought fire with fire.
Helped by a genetically altered HIV virus -- stripped of its devastating properties that cause AIDS -- doctors turned the girl's own immune cells into a superior force able to rout the "aggressive" leukemia.
Emily Whitehead was the first child and is one of only a handful of people in total to be given what's officially known as CTL019 therapy. The hospital stressed this could not yet be called "a magic bullet."
However in her case at least the success was dramatic.
First, millions of the girl's natural immune system cells were removed. Then the modified HIV virus was used to carry in a new gene that would boost the immune cells and help them spot, then attack cancer cells that had previously been able to sneak in "under the radar," the hospital said on its website.
Finally the rebooted immune cells were sent back in to do their work.
"The researchers have created a guided missile that locks in on and kills B cells, thereby attacking B-cell leukemia," the hospital said.
Pediatric oncologist Stephan Grupp, who cared for the girl, explained Tuesday that there was never any danger of AIDS during the process.
"The way we get the new gene into the T cells (immune cells) is by using a virus. This virus was developed from the HIV virus, however all of the parts of the HIV virus that can cause disease are removed," he said in an email.
"It is impossible to catch HIV or any other infection. What's left is the property of the HIV virus that allows it to put new genes into cells."
During the treatment, Emily became very ill and went into the intensive care unit, underlining how risky the procedure can be. However, drugs that partly block the immune reaction were administered, without interfering with the anti-leukemia action, and she recovered, the hospital said.
The result was "complete" and best of all, the doctors say, the boosted immune shield continues "to remain in the patient's body to protect against a recurrence of the cancer."
"She has no leukemia in her body for any test that we can do -- even the most sensitive tests," Grupp told ABC television. "We need to see that the remission goes on for a couple of years before we think about whether she is cured or not. It is too soon to say."
Emily's parents Kari and Tom told the hospital that the success of the operation has changed their world. Instead of chemotherapy that made the girl lose all her hair, she is now back in school, walking her dog Lucy and playing soccer. "T cell therapy was really the only option left for Emily," Tom said.
Grupp said on the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia website that cell therapies might eventually replace the more costly, painful bone marrow transplant treatment, a standard last-ditch defense against cancer.
"I've been meeting with families to discuss bone marrow transplant for 20 years," he said.
"In almost every meeting, I say that bone marrow transplant is very hard and that if we had an alternative for children at that point in treatment, I would be delighted to put myself out of business. And for the first time, we're seeing how that might actually happen." (AFP)

 

Weight Gain Tips

Weight Gain Tips

 Weight Gain Tips: In this post some tips for gaining weight are published language. Although too much weight is not good for health but those people who are comparatively weak and wanted to increase their weight can act upon these tips to gain weight in few days. Weight gain is not something that can be achieved easily, it requires patience and discipline to diet and training. In this post we have provided weight gain tips for male and female. If you want to gain weight then you should act upon weight gaining tips posted in this thread. Your comments and suggestions will be appreciated especially in the case when you will gain weight by acting upon these tips. You please also share your tips and tricks to help others in losing weight at the end of this post in the form of comments.

Weight Loss Tips 2013

Weight Loss Tips 2013

Weight Loss Tips:  Obesity is a big problem now a days as people eat unbalance diet and as a result become fat. Women are specially worried about their weight as it is an obstacle in their way to slim and attractive body. If you have tried to lose weight fast in the past and did not get results, it is probably because you were doing something wrong. Weight loss has become one of the biggest businesses these days. Fat people from all over the world try to loose weight and have become so conscious with their looks that they are always ready to go an extra mile just to get the body they want. The importance of catering to everyone’s needs has pushed me to upload this post having a picture with Weight Loss Tips. In this post I have written tips on how to lose weight and these tips are really very easy if you will to act upon them. If you have any suggestion or idea then please write it in your comment. Please click on read more button to see Urdu Weight Loss Tips

Hair Care Tips 2013


Hair Care Tips: Hair is very important part of our beauty. If hair are combed properly with clean face then the whole face looks pretty. Healthy Hair need our attention and care. Proper balanced nutritious diet is very necessary for healthy hair. Fish, carrots, eggs and green vegetables are necessary for healthy hair. Vitamin C and D containing foods are required for strong hair. Ultraviolet rays of sun are harmful for hairs so secure hair from direct sunlight with hats or umbrella. Get healthy hair with tips . To grow your hair longer remember to trim them regularly. It can help to prevent your hair from split ends and your hair growth will be stronger. Hair care tips is the title of this article and of course, you can find healthy hair tips in urdu by clicking on read more button below. There are three main things are needed for a good looking and smart head of hair i) good health ii) right attention to cleanliness and iii) caution when using cosmetic treatments. You must remember that there is no magical formula for instant hair growth. Hair Care  is really a gift for all those who want to make their hair strong and good looking. Your comments and suggestions will highly be appreciated.

Uses Of Sandalwood For Beautiful Skin 2012-13

 Uses Of Sandalwood For Beautiful Skin 2012-13
I am very much sure that if you like to take care of your beauty and if you like to look good then you would know few home remedies for all kind of skin issues, and if you know Aloe Vera, and if you know how brilliant that can be then you would know that there is nothing like Sandalwood when you talk about skin, nothing can make your skin beautiful and younger looking better that that. You can use sandalwood to care for scrapes, rashes, blemishes, acne, and more, and make it a part of your daily beauty and skin-care routine. Here are some of the hundreds and millions ideas and uses of sandal wood for you?
Heal Scrapes: Sandalwood is a marvelous home remedy for your feet and heels; it has antimicrobial properties, and that is the reason it is a popular herbal antiseptic for treating minor skin abrasions, to heel cuts, scrapes, and burns and you can use it for your ruff and damaged heels.
Shrink pimples. You would not believe that Sandalwood can reduce random pimples overnight and solve the issue of pimples too, you just need a paste made from one teaspoon of sandalwood powder mixed with one teaspoon of turmeric now mix with a one teaspoon of water or rose water and you need to apply that just before you go to bed and sleep with that past on
Calm acne. It is one of the most famous old wives trick to handle acne flare-ups on your face, chest, shoulders, and back, combine two teaspoons of sandalwood with enough rosewater to make a spread-able mixture and apply that on infected areas and leave it for like 20-30 minutes and then rinse with lukewarm water and pat dry, keep reading for more tips under Uses Of Sandalwood For Beautiful Skin Part 1