I like to listen to podcasts of radio programs while I walk. Recently I was listening to an episode of Quirks and Quarks. This is a science show that is broadcast on CBC radio in Canada. They were talking about the state of cancer research and were interviewing some notable scientists in the field. One of the treatments they discussed was cancer immunotherapy and is in the testing phase. The story they told was of a child, Emily, who was diagnosed with acute lymphatic leukaemia. She received chemotherapy for 16 months but it wasn't working. Her parents were told they could take her home for the last months or weeks of her life. Then she was enrolled in an experimental treatment program using genetically modified T-cells from her own body. She is now in remission. During the treatment she had to be placed on a ventilator for over a week. This is an extreme case where the benefits to a research participant can outweigh the risks. The long term benefits are also invaluable. The results of this study could help create a less risky treatment that could help hundreds of people.
References
Waging your own war on cancer [Audio podcast]. (2014, January 11). [With Bob McDonald]. Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/quirks/episode/2014/01/11/january-11-2014/.
References
Waging your own war on cancer [Audio podcast]. (2014, January 11). [With Bob McDonald]. Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/quirks/episode/2014/01/11/january-11-2014/.
WOW! This is definitely a case where the research and outcome outweighed the risks but I cannot imagine entering into this research study uncertain of the outcome..then again they had already been told she would not survive so I guess they had nothing to lose at that point but still...amazing!
ReplyDeleteJennifer, I enjoyed reading your post. I think it is a good example of some of the benefits of research. Good post.
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