Cancer Patient Gets Unproven Therapy
Doctors for the first time used a new, unproven gene therapy after federal regulators honored a compassionate plea made by the family of a woman dying of brain cancer.
The patient was injected Monday with 2 million genetically altered cells in hopes they will stimulate her immune system to fight her tumor. The treatment was administered at Sharp Memorial Hospital.
The 51-year-old patient has a tumor that has resisted conventional cancer treatment. The woman’s husband requested that the family remain anonymous to protect their privacy.
Federal regulators gave unprecedented permission last week to use the unproven therapy after the family of the San Diego woman lobbied government officials for approval. This was the first time such a compassionate plea was honored.
She went home Monday after receiving the injection and was reported to be in good condition. Barring an adverse reaction to the injection, doctors plan to administer increasingly larger doses every two weeks.
“She tolerated the injection well,” said Robert Sobol of the San Diego Regional Cancer Center. “We’re pleased things went very smoothly.”
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