A research team from the University of Minnesota in the United States published a paper in the latest issue of The Lancet Oncology, stating that the world's first human clinical trial using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology to treat advanced gastrointestinal cancer has achieved phased success, confirming the safety and potential efficacy of the therapy. Gastrointestinal cancer, as one of the most common malignant tumors, covers various high-risk cancer types such as gastric cancer and colorectal cancer. The research team stated that although significant progress has been made in cancer genomics research, there is still a lack of effective treatment options for patients with stage four colorectal cancer. The latest groundbreaking therapy has brought new hope to late stage patients. The new therapy utilizes CRISPR/Cas9 technology to genetically modify tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). The results showed that these "armed" immune cells would inactivate a CISH gene, thereby more accurately identifying and attacking cancer cells. In a clinical trial targeting 12 patients with advanced metastatic disease, this therapy demonstrated good safety and no serious adverse reactions occurred. What is even more exciting is that some patients' conditions have been effectively controlled, and one patient's metastatic tumor completely disappeared after several months and remained without recurrence for two years. The research team believes that the latest research suggests that the CISH gene may be a key obstacle for T cells to recognize tumors. Unlike traditional cancer therapies that require repeated administration, the new gene editing therapy can achieve long-lasting effects by modifying T cells in one go. The research team has successfully cultivated and infused over 10 billion engineered TIL cells, which not only validates the feasibility of large-scale clinical grade cell preparation, but also has the potential to create a new paradigm for cancer immunotherapy. However, they also admitted that although the preliminary results are encouraging, the existing process still faces challenges such as high costs and complex procedures. They plan to focus on optimizing treatment plans, exploring the mechanisms of efficacy differences in depth, and bringing good news to more patients. (New Society)