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what's the difference between CAR-T therapy and CIK?

CAR-T Therapy (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell Therapy):

  • CAR-T therapy is a type of immunotherapy where a patient's T-cells (a type of white blood cell) are taken from their body and genetically modified in a lab to produce special receptors called chimeric antigen receptors (CARs).

  • These CARs are designed to recognise and bind to specific proteins on cancer cells.

  • Once the T-cells are modified, they are infused back into the patient's body where they can seek out and destroy cancer cells.

  • CAR-T therapy is particularly effective against certain types of blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma.

CIK Therapy (Cytokine-Induced Killer Cell Therapy):

  • CIK therapy is another type of immunotherapy that involves using a patient's own immune cells, specifically a type of white blood cell called cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells.

  • Unlike CAR-T therapy, CIK therapy doesn't involve genetic modification of cells. Instead, the patient's CIK cells are isolated from their blood and then cultured and activated in the lab to enhance their ability to recognise and kill cancer cells.

  • Once activated, the CIK cells are infused back into the patient's body where they can target and attack cancer cells.

  • CIK therapy is used to treat a variety of solid tumors, including cancers of the lung, liver, stomach, and breast.

Key Differences:

  1. Cell Type: CAR-T therapy involves modifying T-cells, while CIK therapy utilizes CIK cells.

  2. Genetic Modification: CAR-T therapy involves genetic engineering to create CARs on T-cells, whereas CIK therapy does not involve genetic modification.

  3. Targeted Cancers: CAR-T therapy is mainly used for blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, while CIK therapy is used for various solid tumors.

In summary, both CAR-T and CIK therapies are forms of immunotherapy that utilise the body's own immune cells to target and destroy cancer cells. They differ in the type of cells used, the method of activation, and the types of cancers they are used to treat.