Due to the recurrence of gastric cancer and bone marrow suppression caused by chemotherapy, the medication had to be discontinued. Her treatment approach deserves attention!

After the surgery, Ms. Zhang began a 3-cycle SOX regimen chemotherapy. However, the side effects of chemotherapy quickly emerged - nausea, vomiting, and fatigue followed one after another. What made her most painful was that just after the surgery, her digestive function was very weak, and "Every meal felt like a battle, with one bite followed by two spits ." Poor nutritional status was an important reason for Ms. Zhang's subsequent chemotherapy intolerance .

     

2021 In February of the year, a re examination showed severe bone marrow suppression in, and the doctor had to adjust the plan to monotherapy with Tiggo. Although the side effects were reduced to some extent, the inability to keep up with nutrition affected the tolerance of chemotherapy. In June 2021, due to bone marrow suppression, treatment was once again interrupted. Later, PD-1 inhibitors (Xindilimumab) were used to treatuntil now..

Chemotherapy drugs, as cytotoxic agents, kill cancer cells by interfering with cell division and proliferation. However, the indiscriminate nature of chemotherapy drugs mistakenly damages those actively dividing normal cells , such as hematopoietic cells in the bone marrow , , thereby causing bone marrow suppression.

     

Meanwhile, postoperative pathology revealed synergistic amplification of high-risk factors, including poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, intravascular tumor thrombus, nerve invasion, and lymph node metastasis, all indicating a poor prognosis.

After experiencing repeated setbacks with traditional treatments, Ms. Zhang once fell into confusion. She couldn't undergo chemotherapy, and targeted drugs were not applicable. Could she only wait for the disease to recur again?

After learning about the mechanism and advantages of vNKT cell therapy from Professor Zhang Minghui's Lehenew medical team, Ms. Zhang believed that this method was very suitable for her current physical condition and treatment needs.

1.  Dual killing mechanism: vNKT cells combine the rapid killing ability of NK cells with the precise recognition ability of T cells, enabling them to efficiently target and eliminate cancer cells while avoiding damage to normal cells.

2.  Natural safety: As naturally occurring immune cells in the human body, vNKT cells have not undergone genetic engineering, thus resulting in fewer side effects and good patient tolerance, especially for patients who are intolerant to chemotherapy.

3.  Synergistic Effect: vNKT cells can reshape the tumor microenvironment, delay the emergence of resistance to PD-1 inhibitors, and achieve a therapeutic effect where 1+1>2.

# vNKT cell immunotherapy

NKT cells (Natural killer T cells), are a special T cell subset with both T cell receptor (TCR) and NK cell receptor on their surface. They possess the important characteristics of both NK cells and T cells, with the dual ability to recognize tumor cells nonspecifically and specifically, and can rapidly kill tumor cells. Among the NKT cell subsets, there is a larger and more potent special type of soldier discovered by the experimental team led by Professor Zhang Minghui of Tsinghua University, namely the vNKT (Variant Natural Killer T) cells.

The population of vNKT cells in the body is very small and they are not easily activated. However, once activated, they can easily defeat numerous tumor cells that may remain undetected in the body. Additionally, research has found that vNKT cells exhibit dual anti-tumor effects. Not only can they directly kill cancer cells, but they can also regulate the immune microenvironment within tumor tissues, kill inhibitory immune cells such as MDSCs, break tumor immune evasion, rebuild the normal immune system, and further prevent recurrence and metastasis.

             

Experimental conditions: In the presence of vNKT cells, after 16 hours, nearly all B16 tumor cells were killed!

Since April 25, 2022, Ms. Zhang has been receiving vNKT cell therapy, with up to March 12, 2024, she has completed 15 courses of treatment. After systematic treatment, her condition has significantly improved, with no abnormalities observed in imaging follow-up and stable tumor markers. She has achieved 4 years of recurrence-free survival . Her quality of life has significantly improved, her mental state is good, she is energetic, and her daily life has fully returned to normal.

02            

           

           

Imaging changes 

Imaging  changes            

     

     

Upper abdominal imaging reveals: In December 2021, the stomach was absent, and dense shadows were visible in the lower esophagus and upper abdominal intestines, suggesting postoperative changes. No obvious signs of recurrence were observed in the surgical area. From March 2022 to March 2024, follow-up imaging showed no significant changes compared to previous images.

03

             

       

Conclusion and Review< H307>

Conclusion and Commentary            

    

Tumortreatment is a tough battle against time, requiring a delicate balance between efficacy and safety. For patients who frequently experience bone marrow suppression due to chemotherapy, vNKT cell therapy offers a novel approach to breaking the deadlock - it can precisely eliminate tumor cells while protecting hematopoietic function, paving a promising path to overcome treatment bottlenecks. vNKT cell therapy not only precisely eliminates tumor cells but also protects hematopoietic function, opening up a promising path to overcome treatment bottlenecks      

References[1] Zhao Zhongkai, Wang Ye, Liu Xin, et al. Analysis of the efficacy and safety of endoscopic submucosal dissection and surgical treatment for early gastric cancer[J]. Chinese Journal of Minimally Invasive Surgery, 2023, 23(06):416-421.

   

Your anti-cancer strategy can be more precise

         

If you are experiencing similar treatment dilemmas, the following resources may be able to assist you:
Leukocyte Increase Guideline：Click to readHow to Increase Leukocytes After Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy? ，learn scientific methods to increase white blood cells and help you better cope with treatment challenges.

Cancer Support：Add Lehe and Little Assistant on WeChat to get more cancer-fighting recipes, and join patient groups to share experiences and encourage each other.

On the road to fighting cancer, you are not alone. Every treatment choice is a solid step towards hope.

       

         

Lian

is

I

       

Scan QR code

to communicate with Professor Zhang Minghui's team

         

Zhang Minghui          

Founder of Lehe New Medicine

         

Professor Zhang Minghui, a PhD in Immunology from Tsinghua University School of Medicine, has led a research team for over 20 years since the discovery of vNKT cells in 2002. They have accumulated treatment experience in over 700 cases of solid tumors, covering almost all common solid tumors. The research results fully demonstrate the great value of vNKT in the treatment of solid tumors.

Applicable to postoperative patients with high pathological malignancy or a risk of recurrence; patients whose tumors have been largely controlled but not cured through conventional treatments such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted therapy; patients with persistent high carcinogenic factors; and patients intolerant to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. If these patients do not receive effective follow-up treatment after traditional anti-tumor therapy, recurrence, metastasis, or re-emergence of tumors will be highly probable. In this case, vNKT cell therapy is an ideal follow-up treatment method, which can significantly improve the patient's prognosis.

Written by: Yizhi Tuan

Reviewed by: Qiao Jiacheng, Wang Ying, Gao Chen

Edited/typeset by Zhang Jiao

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