Volksstimme telephone forum
Another edition of the Volksstimme telephone forum will take place on Tuesday, February 13, 2024. Readers can ask questions on the topic of "Blood cancer - new treatment methods" to Prof. Dr. Dimitrios Mougiakakos, Director of the Department of Haematology, Oncology and Cell Therapy, and Dr. Denise Wolleschak, Senior Consultant and Head of the CMT Unit at the Department of Haematology, Oncology and Cell Therapy at Magdeburg University Hospital.
After being diagnosed with blood cancer, patients are very worried and many questions arise, which the two experts want to answer and explain the latest therapies in this specialist field. Interested parties can call 0391-532970 between 10:00 and 12:00 to ask their questions.
Leukemia is also known colloquially as blood cancer.This disease affects not only the blood, but primarily the bone marrow. There are various forms of blood cancer with different progressions. In a healthy bloodstream, red blood cells transport oxygen, white blood cells fight infections and platelets stop bleeding. However, if healthy blood cells are replaced by diseased and dysfunctional cells, the blood is no longer able to perform its vital tasks. The symptoms that blood cancer can cause include fever, weight loss, fatigue, spontaneous bleeding, swollen lymph nodes, pallor and bone fractures. Diseases of the haematopoietic system can be diagnosed and treated at the highest medical level in specialized clinics or certified cancer centers such as at Magdeburg University Hospital.
These include chemotherapy and antibody therapies as well as transplantation using the patient's own stem cells (autologous) and stem cells from a foreign or related donor (allogeneic).The experts will be happy to explain how these forms of therapy work over the phone.
Photo: Prof. Dr. med. Dimitrios Mougiakakos und Dr. med. Denise Wolleschak. Photo: UMMD
A new so-called "CAR-T cell therapy" is also available at Magdeburg University Hospital.Patients with certain forms of lymphoma and/or blood cancer can benefit from this promising form of treatment in Magdeburg. CAR-T cell therapy is a highly individualized form of treatment that can achieve impressive long-term effects.Prof. Mougiakakos is a recognized expert in the field of immunotherapy and is one of the pioneers in Germany who introduced the clinical application of CAR-T cells. This modern immunotherapy is based on the use of the body's own immune cells. For implementation, the required T lymphocytes are first obtained from the patient's peripheral blood by means of blood washing (apheresis), with experienced teams at the Institute of Transfusion Medicine Magdeburg carrying out the apheresis. The isolated T lymphocytes are then genetically modified externally to carry a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) on their cell surface. This enables the CAR T cells to specifically recognize and efficiently destroy cancer cells. After the infusion, the CAR-T cells multiply rapidly as a "living drug" and can remain active over a long period of time, which can prevent a relapse of the disease.
The two experts from Magdeburg University Medicine will talk about blood cancer and new forms of treatment and discuss various forms of therapy.Interested parties and those affected can also ask their personal questions on this topic.