Natural Killer Cells Therapy (NK Cells Therapy) is an approach that uses immune cells to destroy cancer cells and viruses. NK cells are classified as a type of lymphocytes, best known as cells of the innate immune system. Unlike other types of lymphocytes, NK cells have unique mechanism to distinguish antigens called Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC). Therefore, they have ability to seek and destroy multiple pathogenic antigens without any priming activation. Using NK cells become one of the options to cure cancers (apart from surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, etc.)

The procedure of the NK Cells treatment consists of various steps starting from collecting PBMC (Isolation of the Monocytes) from the patients’ blood, expanding them in the laboratory until getting sufficient amount, and injecting them back to patients’ body to boost up immune.

Unlike other approaches, using NK Cells have fewer side effects and amounts of poison due to the use of patients’ own cells (Autologous cells). The patients do not need to stay over in the hospital. This creates better quality of life. As well, patients with cancers can use NK cells therapy in combinations with their current treatments. As the immune cells play critical roles in seeking and killing infected cells, having balanced and strong immune systems are keys for controlling and destroying cancer cells.

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Effects of NK Cells in Killing Cancer Cells

• The  Effect in Removing Cancer Cells that are Generated Everyday

Each day, human body generates thousands of abnormal cell division. NK Cells are produced to destroy those abnormal cells and stop expansion before becoming cancers.

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• The Effect in Preventing Recurrence and Metastasis of Cancer

Even though cancers can be cured, there are some chances that some remaining cancer stem cells may robustly expand themselves to cause cancer recurrence and metastasis once again. NK cells are the one who rapidly seek and destroy those cells in order to prevent the recurrence and metastasis.

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• The Effect in Enhancing Immune Response to Cancer

Various types of Lymphocytes in Immune Systems, including Dendritic Cells and Cytotoxic T Cells, reciprocally interact with each other to create potent immune response to fight cancers. NK Cells also activate utilities of those immune cells by releasing cytokines. This results in enhancing immune response to fight cancer.

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Nowadays, NK Cell Count and NK Activity can be detected by blood testing, allowing us to be able to assess our ability to destroy viruses and cancer cells. Immunocompromised people or people with immune suppression, who have risks of infection and risks of developing cancers, are recommended to do NK Cells testing.

Balance between Immunity and Cancer cells

Cell mutation can create cancer cells. Usually, immune system plays critical roles in destroying and removing those mutant cells out of the body. However, there are some factors making cancer cells grow stronger, faster and more powerful than normal cells until they overcome immune systems.

There are many methods of cancer therapy but there are some disadvantages that come along the way in each method. Surgery or Radiation therapy can cause damages in immune systems. Even though the immune system can be regained, sometimes cancer cells still remain in the body. Chemotherapy can only decrease strength of cancer cells for a short period of time, but it cannot permanently remove those cells. Moreover, chemotherapy suppresses functions of bone marrows, which directly affects immune systems and infection.  Even though chemotherapy can suppress cancer cells from expansion, it cannot increase immune cells to prevent recurrence of cancer. Since cancer cells grow stronger and faster than immune cells, cancer cells can be large in size. Immunotherapy can stop cancer cells growth, but it cannot immediately reduce size of cancer cells except for repeating immunity boosts.

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Using NK Cells therapy after other methods of therapy can increase efficacy

NK Cells therapy is a process of isolating NK Cells out of other blood cells, expanding them in the laboratory for 15-21days until getting sufficient amount and efficacy for patients, and injecting them back to patients’ body to boost up immune. This method is a 1:1battle between immune cells and viruses/pathogens. NK cells therapy can be used for cancer therapy, especially for pancreatic cancer and lung cancer. As NK cells daily seek and destroy abnormal and dead cells out of the body, a chance of cancer recurrence can be reduced.​

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Procedure of NK Cells Expansions:

1. Pre-Screening: Check for current numbers and efficacy of NK Cells

2. Blood Drawing: Collect blood samples for process of NK cells expansion in laboratory

3. NK Culture: Expand numbers and efficacy of NK cells in the laboratory

4. NK Treatment: Harvest those lab NK Cells and put them back into the patient’s body