Flow chart of one method of engineering T cells to fight cancer. Tough blood cancers are responding to treatment with the patient's own genetically engineered immune cells, according to a cancer specialist who is helping test the bold -- and risky -- approach. The treatment has produced complete remissions in large percentages of patients treated, up to 90 percent in one group of 30 patients. Moreover, these are all extremely sick patients, whose cancer has resisted other therapies, leaving them with virtually no options. The longest survivor has been in complete remission for more than 4 years, said Dr. David Porter of the University of Pennsylvania. Porter spoke Sunday at the 35th Annual Conference on Clinical Hematology & Oncology, held in La Jolla by Scripps Health. Speakers like Porter came from around the country to discuss advances in their field, part of a continuing medical education program to keep doctors up to date with the latest medical advances. The conference continues through Tuesday. Dr. David Porter / University of Pennsylvania Porter works with Dr. Carl June and other colleagues to hone the effectiveness of using T cells genetically programmed to attack malignant B cells. B cell malignancies cause such cancers … Continue reading →