The Washington Post - USA (2022-06-07)

TUESDAY, JUNE 7 , 2022. THE WASHINGTON POST EZ EE E3

HEALTH NEWS

BY LAURAN NEERGARD

In a novel experiment, a wom-
an with advanced pancreatic can-
cer saw her tumors dramatically
shrink after researchers in Or-
egon turbocharged her own im-
mune cells, highlighting a possi-
ble new way to someday treat a
variety of cancers.
Kathy Wilkes isn’t cured but
said what is left of her cancer has
shown no sign of growth since the
one-time treatment last June.
“I knew that regular chemo-
therapy would not save my life,
and I was going for the save,” said
Wilkes, of Ormond Beach, Fla.,
who tracked down a scientist and
asked for the experiment.
The research, published last
week in the New England Journal
of Medicine, explores a method of
harnessing the immune system to
create “living drugs” able to seek
and destroy tumors.
“It’s the first time this sort of
treatment has worked in a very
difficult-to-treat cancer type,”
said Josh Veatch of the Fred
Hutchinson Cancer Research
Center in Seattle, who wasn’t in-
volved with the experiment.
Far more research is needed,
he said, noting that Wilkes is one
of only two people known to have
tried this exact approach, and it
failed in the other patient.
T cells are key immune sol-
diers, able to kill off diseased cells
— but too often cancer evades
them. Doctors already have
learned how to strengthen T cells
to fight some types of leukemia
and lymphoma. They add an arti-
ficial receptor to patients’ T cells
so the immune fighters can recog-
nize a marker on the outside of
blood cancer cells, and attack.
But that CAR-T therapy does
not work against more common
solid tumors, which do not carry
that same danger marker.

The new twist: At Oregon’s

Providence Cancer Institute, re-

searcher Eric Tran genetically en-

gineered Wilkes’s T cells so they

could spot a mutant protein hid-

den inside her tumor cells.

How? Certain molecules sit on

the surface of cells and give the

immune system a sneak peek of

what proteins are inside. If a

complex receptor on the T cell

recognizes both the person’s ge-

netically distinct “HLA” molecule

and that one of the protein snip-

pets embedded in it is the target-

ed mutant, that immune fighter

can latch on.

The approach is known as T

cell receptor or TCR therapy. Tran

stressed that the research re-

mains experimental but said Wil-

kes’s remarkable response “pro-

vides me with optimism that

we’re on the right track.”

Wilkes underwent chemo -

therapy, radiation and surgery for

her pancreatic cancer. Later, doc-

tors discovered new tumors in

her lungs — the pancreatic cancer

had spread, a stage when there is

no good treatment.

Wilkes knew researchers were

testing immunotherapy to fight

different hard-to-treat tumors,

and a biopsy showed a specific

mutation was fueling her cancer.

Her search led to Tran.

Tran and his colleague Rom

Leidner, an oncologist, got Food

and Drug Administration permis-

sion to reprogram her T cells to

bear the special mutant-fighting

receptor.

They culled T cells from Wil-

kes’s blood, genetically engi-

neered them in the lab and then

grew billions of copies. Six

months after a transfusion of the

altered cells, her tumors had

shrunk by 72 percent. Wilkes said

recent checkups show her disease

remains stable.

— Associated Press

Genetic experiment shrinks pancreatic tumors

in woman by turbocharging her immune cells

HEALTH SCAN

BY ERIN BLAKEMORE

When it comes to the human
body, age is just a number.
Thanks to the regenerative pow-
ers of human cells, our bodies
constantly create new cells — to
the tune of about 330 billion a
day.
But until now, researchers ha-
ven’t known much about how
long the cells of one of the most
important organs, the liver, live.
Research in the journal Cell Sys-
tems reveals that humans’ livers
are forever young, clocking in at
less than three years old despite
their hosts’ biological age.
German researchers studied
the livers of 33 adults who were
between ages 20 to 84 when they
died. They isolated the nuclei of
liver cells called hepatocytes —
the workhorses of the human
liver. Hepatocytes make up the
bulk of the human liver and
perform a dizzying variety of
tasks, from aiding with metabo-
lism to taking part in the body’s
immune response.
The researchers wanted to
know whether hepatocytes are
long-lived, like neurons or the
heart’s muscle cells, or whether
they’re more transient. Previous
studies had focused mainly on
rodent livers, leaving unan-
swered questions on the life cycle
of human liver cells.
When the scientists dated the
cells, they found an average age
of about three years regardless of

the age of the person who gener-

ated the cells. The hepatocytes

“show continuous and lifelong

turnover, allowing the liver to

remain a young organ,” they

write.

The turnover depended on the

type of liver cell. Ninety-five per-

cent of the cells with two com-

plete sets of chromosomes turned

over within a year, but up to 12

percent of a cell subtype that have

more than one pair of chromo-

somes can survive up to a decade.

“As this fraction gradually in-

creases with age, this could be a

protective mechanism that safe-

guards us from accumulating

harmful mutations,” Olaf Berg-

mann, a research group leader at

the Dresden University of Tech-

nology’s Center for Regenerative

Therapies said in a news release.

“We need to find out if there are

similar mechanisms in chronic

liver disease, which in some cases

can turn into cancer.”

The older the subject, the older

the hepatocytes, although the re-

searchers say most are short-

lived.

All in all, the researchers proj-

ect, our bodies produce about

700 million hepatocytes each day

— not bad for a three-pound

organ.

HEPATOLOGY

Livers remain young, clocking in at less than

three years old despite age of the human body

Diploid hepatocytes drive

physiological liver renewal in

adult humans

Cell Systems

BY PERRY SANTANACHOTE

M

odel Gigi Hadid does

it. Actresses Selena

Gomez and Amanda

Seyfried do, too. Ol-

ivia Munn also used

to apply toothpaste to her pim-

ples but has since wised up to this

acne treatment hack. The stars,

they’re just like us — at least when

it comes to falling for old beauty

tales.

Putting toothpaste on a pimple

might have sufficed way back in

the day but it also irritates your

skin. And today we have safe,

scientifically proven spot treat-

ments designed to tackle acne —

more specifically, bacteria-bust-

ing benzoyl peroxide and salicylic

acid. They’re sold in the same

stores you buy your toothpaste.

Just keep them away from your

fancy towels.

The idea behind putting tooth-

paste on a pimple isn’t completely

unfounded. “Many toothpastes

contain ingredients that can tar-

get bacteria and help shrink and

dry pimples, such as alcohol, hy-

drogen peroxide and baking

soda,” says Shadi Kourosh, assis-

tant professor of dermatology at

Harvard Medical School and a

board-certified dermatologist at

Sadick Dermatology in New York.

“It’s understandable that people

may have tried this as a home

remedy, especially in the days

before we had better options for

acne spot treatments.”

But part of the antibacterial

effect of toothpaste may have

been due to triclosan, an antisep-

tic that the Food and Drug Ad-

ministration recently banned be-

cause of its potentially negative

health effects.

“There are also other ingredi-

ents in toothpaste, such as fluo-

ride, sodium lauryl sulfate and

flavoring agents that could irri-

tate the skin and cause allergies,”

Kourosh says.

“It’s much better and more con-

sistent to use something that ac-

tually has a mechanism of action,

has been studied and is based on

data, not anecdotes,” says Joel

Cohen, a board-certified derma-

tologist and director of About-

Skin Dermatology in Denver.

“An acne-targeting product,

such as benzoyl peroxide, will not

only help kill the bacteria in your

pimples but also function as an

anti-inflammatory to tamper the

swelling and redness,” Cohen

says. He says salicylic acid will

also help open up the skin’s folli-

cles, remove dead debris on the

pores and reduce some of the oil

production. Can your toothpaste

do that? No. “These products cost

just a few dollars and all the major

skin-care companies make them.”

You’ll find spot treatment

products containing benzoyl per-

oxide in amounts ranging from

2.5 to 10 percent. If you have

sensitive skin, Kourosh says to

start on the lower end and in-

crease as needed. Most salicylic

acid spot treatments are 2 per-

cent. Apply either product to pim-

ples twice a day and moisturize

the surrounding skin, not the

pimple itself. “The drying effect is

helpful to treat the acne spot,” she

says.

If you are hellbent on avoiding

acne products and still want a

home remedy, consider some-

thing such as tea tree oil over

toothpaste. In a 2014 compara-

tive study, researchers found that

this herbal extract was as effec-

tive in treating acne as a solution

containing 5 percent benzoyl per-

oxide.

FROM CONSUMER REPORTS

Use toothpaste on teeth, not pimples

ISTOCK

A girl puts over-the-counter cream on a pimple. Some people turn

to toothpaste as a spot treatment for acne, but drugstore products

with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid are more effective.

Consumer Reports is an

independent, nonprofit organization

that works side by side with

consumers to create a fairer, safer,

and healthier world. CR does not

endorse products or services, and

does not accept advertising. CR has

no financial relationship with

advertisers in this publication. Read

more at ConsumerReports.org.

26

percent

In older people with Type 2 diabetes, the brain
appears to age at an accelerated rate — about
26 percent faster than normal, according to
research published in the journal eLife.
Relying on brain scans, brain functioning
tests and other data from 20,314 people, ages
50 to 80, the researchers compared
neurological changes in those who did and did
not have Type 2 diabetes. In both groups, they
found declines in executive functions such as working memory,
learning and flexible thinking, as well as declines in brain processing
speed. The declines, however, were greater and occurred faster in
people with diabetes. Executive functions declined 13 percent more
among those with diabetes, and brain processing speed decreased
7 percent more than for those who did not have diabetes, causing
earlier cognitive decline than seen with normal aging. The researchers
also compared their findings with the results from 94 published
studies, confirming that diabetes led to “markedly lower” cognitive
performance when compared with people of comparable age and
education who did not have the disease. Today, an estimated 37.3
million U.S. residents have diabetes, including about 8.5 million who
have not been diagnosed, according to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. In addition, about 96 million American adults have
prediabetes, meaning they are on the cusp of having full-fledged
diabetes. Currently, the researchers wrote, “few patients with [Type 2
diabetes] undergo a comprehensive neurocognitive evaluation as part
of their clinical care.” They say the study’s findings underscore the
need for better diagnostic and treatment strategies that would target
the cognitive effects of the disease.
— Linda Searing

BIG NUMBER

BY HEATHER KELLY

In many ways, the switch to

virtual learning was an unexpect-

ed, unplanned experiment that

was conducted on millions of

school-age children. When the

pandemic struck the United States

in early 2020, schools across the

country closed their classrooms,

handed out laptops and tablets,

and gave educators a crash course

in holding squirming kids’ atten-

tion over apps like Zoom.

More than two years later,

there’s new information about the

impact that switch has had on

teens between 13 and 17 years old

and their parents. In a survey re-

leased last week by the Pew Re-

search Center, there are signs that

some things are returning to the

way they were before the pandem-

ic, but some teenagers feel left

behind. The survey found that

most kids have kept close relation-

ships with friends and families

over the pandemic and that they

prefer going to school in person

more than remotely. But there are

notable differences in how the

pandemic, specifically remote

learning, has affected Black and

Hispanic teenagers and lower-in-

come families.

“One thing that stands out is we

tend to see a difference in teens’

experiences by their household in-

come,” said Colleen McClain, a

Pew research associate who focus-

es on Internet and technology re-

search.

Some of the starkest differences

are around completing home-

work, known as the “homework

gap.” Some teens are falling be-

hind in school work, often due to a

lack of adequate technology to

complete assignments at home.

Twenty-two percent of teenagers

said they have had to finish home-

work on their phones, and 12 per-

cent said they sometimes can’t

complete their homework be-

cause they don’t have the technol-

ogy to do it. A lack of computers,

smartphones and reliable home

Internet are all contributing fac-

tors. Twenty percent of low-in-

come students who live in a house-

hold with an annual income of

$30,000 or less said they don’t

have a computer at home.

Childhood experts had worried

about the impact of isolation on

teen relationships during the ear-

ly part of the pandemic. About half

of teens reported feeling as close

or closer to their parents than

before the coronavirus crisis, and

49 percent said they had managed

to maintain their close relation-

ships with friends. But a third of

teenagers said they were less con-

nected with people outside that

inner circle, such as classmates.

These relationships were another

area where Hispanic and Black

teens reported some less-positive

experiences. They were more like-

ly than White teenagers to feel less

close to their friends.

Even the teens who managed

well while learning remotely pre-

fer being back in classrooms full

time, the survey found. A majority

of all teenagers said they prefer to

attend school entirely in person,

while 9 percent said they prefer to

be fully remote.

While there’s a stronger prefer-

ence for in-person learning, there

are some notable differences be-

tween groups. Black teens are less

likely to say they want to only go to

school in person since the pan-

demic, while Hispanic teens are

more likely to want a hybrid setup.

Teens living in lower-income

households are less likely to want

to go back to school entirely in

person, with 15 percent saying

they would prefer to attend school

completely online.

The study comes just as most

students are wrapping up the

school year and are primarily back

to in-person learning. Eighty per-

cent of students said they had

attended school completely in per-

son in the past month, while only

8 percent said they had been en-

tirely online.

While many of the changes re-

quired early in the pandemic were

temporary, some of the technol-

ogy requirements have stuck

around — and not without conse-

quences. A recent study by Human

Rights Watch found that of 164

educational apps it examined,

nearly 90 percent were designed

to collect and share data about

students with advertising technol-

ogy companies. The increase in

smartphone usage among stu-

dents, particularly teens, has led

some educators to try to incorpo-

rate those devices into their lesson

plans. That can leave students

without access to pricey smart-

phones behind, too.

Educators across the board

have worried about whether re-

mote learning would leave some

kids behind. The parents of teen-

agers have mixed reviews of their

various schools’ approaches to vir-

tual schooling, and they tended to

be more satisfied with it than the

children themselves. Among par-

ents, 39 percent say they’re satis-

fied with how schools handled re-

mote learning, while only 28 per-

cent of teens said the same.

The majority of teenagers also

aren’t worried that they’ve fallen

behind during the pandemic,

while 28 percent of parents say

they’re very or extremely worried

about their kids falling behind

because of the coronavirus crisis.

“There’s not a one-size-fits-all

experience for teens when it

comes to experiencing school dur-

ing the pandemic,” said Monica

Anderson, associate director of re-

search at Pew.

The new report is based on a

survey of 1,316 pairs of U.S. teens

and their parents conducted April

14 to May 4, 2022, Pew officials

said.

TECH IN YOUR LIFE

Study reveals how pandemic disrupted learning

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