Thanks to Indian origin scientists

Cancer Cells Mutated into Harmless Ones

New Delhi, March 18: Cancer cells underwent as if a ‘change of heart’, thanks to an indi-scientist.

An Indian origin researcher Ravi Majeti at Stanford University has discovered a method which can prompt cancer cells mutate into harmless ones. This method can reform dangerous leukemia cells into harmless microphages, a type of immune cells.

The paper, which claimed this transformation, has appeared in the journal named Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Assistant professor of medicine Ravi Majeti’s ‘eureka moment’ came while collecting leukemia cells from a patient and trying to keep the cells alive in a culture plate. It has ignited hope of future treatment.

Majeti observed that some of the cancer cells had assumed shapes and sizes macrophages. On the discovery, Majeti said, ‘So finding potential treatments is particularly exciting’. It has triggered hope that reformed cancer cells might assist in fighting the cancer.

He further said, ‘because the macrophage cells came from the cancer cells, they will already carry with them the chemical signals that will identify the cancer cells, making an immune attack against the cancer more likely.’

This discovery can be leveraged to find a drug that can prompt the same reaction and could lead to leukemia treatment.