Immune cells supercharged to fight cancer: early trial shows promise
NCT ID NCT00720785
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Aug 07, 2026 · Updated 6 times
Summary
This early-phase trial tested whether giving patients their own natural killer (NK) cells, boosted by the drug bortezomib, is safe for treating advanced cancers like leukemia, lung, and pancreatic cancer. Thirty-five adults whose cancers had not responded to standard treatments received NK cell infusions after chemotherapy. The main goal was to find the safest dose and watch for side effects.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Natural killer (NK) cells and bortezomib
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could point toward a new treatment option for people with advanced cancers that have not responded to standard therapies.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very early Phase 1 trial with only 35 participants, so it is primarily testing safety, not effectiveness. The approach may not work for all cancer types, and side effects from chemotherapy and cell infusion are possible.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States
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