“Cancer” is considered an important public health problem in Thailand. and has a tendency to increase the incidence rate of the disease every year From statistics, it was found that There are 139,206 new cancer cases per year and 84,073 deaths per year. The top 5 cancers found in Thais are liver and bile duct cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer and cervical cancer
which we can practice To prevent and reduce the risk of cancer. from lifestyle changes such as avoiding smoking, drinking alcohol and eating foods contaminated with carcinogens including preventing or reducing the risk of exposure to carcinogens from occupation and environment
At the same time, we can observe chronic physical abnormalities. Of the 7 warning signs, including changes in the excretory system chronic wound nodular body difficulty swallowing all the anus bleed moles, warts, change chronic cough and hoarseness which, if an abnormality is found and see a doctor quickly It will be treated quickly as well.
Assoc.Prof.Dr. Chanchai Sitthiphan, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Chulalongkorn University And the director of Chulalongkorn Hospital, the Thai Red Cross Society, said that from statistics, there are patients who have died fromcancernot less than a hundred thousand per year and there are more and more patients Center of Excellence in Cancer Immunotherapy Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University conducts a comprehensive research study on cancer. from diagnosis, treatment, cancer hospital, as well as follow-up care after the disease most importantly Prevention and early diagnosis If found in the early have a chance to be cured
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Wirot Sriulanpong, head of the Center of Excellence for Comprehensive Cancer Medicine Chulalongkorn Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society, said that at present, there are 3 main approaches to cancer drug treatment: chemotherapy It is a treatment that is not expensive. Moderately effective and may have many side effects, targeted drug It is a drug that is specific to cancer mutations. Specific efficacy in cases where the mutation is matched to the drug. The side effects are usually mild. compared to chemotherapy andimmunotherapy which includes both antibody drug therapy and using cell therapy Both of these approaches are approved for use in treating patients. not specific to cancer type Most have few side effects.
Currently, Chulalongkorn Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society, Faculty of Medicine Chulalongkorn University and the Center of Excellence in Cancer Immunotherapy. There has been research and development of cancer treatment with immunotherapy. Focus on improving treatment in 3 ways: cancer cell therapy personalized cancer vaccine and anti-cancer antibody drugs (anti-cancer drug) All 3 methods of immunotherapy have different strengths. but can be used to treat together And can be used in conjunction with other cancer treatment methods to increase the efficiency of treatment.
and because cancer is a disorder of cells in the body Currently, it is treated by surgery, radiation and drug therapy. Including research and development focusing on treatment that is specific to the individual to be more accurate. Current immunotherapy It is a new innovation that the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University is in the research process in cancer patients. Future goals will continue to be extensively tested.
Dr. Trairak Phisitkul, Head of Center of Excellence for Systems Biology Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University reveals about the project to develop a personalized cancer vaccine that the research team has developed a personalized cancer vaccine since 2017 until the stage 1 clinical trial for volunteers. Since January 2021, this is the first clinical trial in Thailand. and in Southeast Asia
The manufacture of personalized vaccines requires information on the mutations detected in that patient. to stimulate immunity specific to cancer mutations Because each patient’s cancer has different mutations. Therefore, the production of vaccines has to be done once at a time in order to induce specific immunity. and effective in fighting cancer
in providing individualized cancer vaccines It starts with taking a cancer biopsy from a patient to decode the genetic code. to detect mutations found only in cancer biopsies which are not found in normal cells of the body and used the mutation data to produce small fragments of mutant cancer proteins. with only mutation data but can not cause disease without injecting cancer cells into the body in any way
after vaccination The white blood cells antigen presenting cells eat fragments of the mutated protein they produce. and inducing T-cell leukocytes to recognize cancer mutations more specifically. Therefore, this vaccine is “Cancer Vaccines It’s not a cancer vaccine. abroad, such as at Harvard University Studies have shown that the use of personalized cancer vaccines in combination with antibody drug administration that enhances immune function can increase the efficiency of treatment
However, if Thailand can make individual vaccines by itself It will reduce the cost of importing from abroad by more than half of the current price. which will make the price lower and make it more accessible to this vaccine innovation.
As for the introduction of the vaccine to treat specific cancers Dr. Trairak said that during the past year, the research team has tested 4 volunteers with stage IV cancer, 3 with melanoma and kidney cancer. 1 found that after vaccination be safe few side effects And three weeks after vaccination, the immune response in all four patients showed a marked improvement. and it is an immune response that is specific to the mutation fragment of that cancer patient.
while the pathological response in one patient, as assessed by the distribution of T cell lymphocytes in the cancer biopsy, There was a clear change. before vaccination White blood cells were detected mainly around the periphery of the tumor. After receiving the vaccine, the white blood cells were changed. respond positively has spread into more cancerous biopsies This patient is currently stable.
And the goal for the next four years if the efficacy of the vaccine is proven. whether it is safe, the research team will move into clinical testing It will start to open at Chulalongkorn Hospital, the Thai Red Cross Society and will be registered.
Meanwhile, the Center of Excellence in Cancer Immunotherapy Has researched and developed antibody drugs to treat cancer. (anti-cancer drugs) in parallel Currently in the production process in the factory It will begin animal testing in 2022 and clinical trials in cancer patients in 2023. If the development of a personalized cancer vaccine and antibody drugs were successful. can treat both methods concurrently to improve the efficiency of treatment
In this regard, Chulalongkorn Hospital, the Thai Red Cross Society has built a special clean room for the production of more personalized cancer cells and vaccines. which focuses on comprehensive cancer patient care, together to form the “Integrated Cancer Research and Treatment Center of Chulalongkorn Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society”, which is expected to be completed in February 2024 as well.
Author : Jayda Vibhavadi
Graphics: Chonticha Pinijrob