Is It Possible That CRISPR Could be the Cure To Cancer?

Each and every individual is built with a certain code of DNA that is unique. This code is what created who you are today. Over time, in simplest terms, things can change including DNA. As we grow older, we are constantly exposed to several environmental and biological factors that surround our everyday life. These certain factors, that may seem ever so small, can alter the genetic code and cause many diseases, even cancer. Technology is forever evolving and creating ground-breaking discoveries. A technological advancement called, CRISPR may be the cure to cancer. CRISPR stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat. This specific form of technology corrects the "mistake" that occurred in the genetic sequence. The hope is that one day doctors will be able to use this form of technology in order to "fix" the genetic code to possibly cure cancer, along with many other genetic diseases.

CRISPR is not the only genetic editing tool out there. It's said that CRISPR technology is more precise than others, therefore it is used more often in order to cut out a specific mutation that appeared in the genetic code. Using CRISPR technology on a embryonic cell is more successful because it will form into a cell that will replicate without any diseases. When it comes to sickle cell anemia, the technology is not advanced enough to individually edit the genetic code of each cell. With cancer, the growth of a tumor allows the growth of the mutation to travel. Again, the technology for editing each cell is not advanced just yet. The goal is to eventually replace the genetic code with the correct one so the cell is able to replicate normally without any mutations.

Not only could CRISPR edit DNA, but it can also become a way to change cancer therapy. They will use an individual's T-cells, edit them and put them back into the cells in order to help fight against many different forms of cancer. CRISPR technology is also helping scientists detect certain genes inside cancer cells. By determining which genes are most important in certain cancers, there will be better treatment methods that can target specific cancers. Over the course of the next few years, there is hope that we may not have the cure for cancer, but there will be many treatments to fight against several different types of cancers. I personally believe that CRISPR is a work in progress. It will take many years in order to fully understand all that it is capable of and if it will work in most disease all over the country. This kind of technology will be the answer to many questions that have remained a mystery.

Article: https://health.usnews.com/health-care/patient-advice/articles/2018-09-12/whats-the-likelihood-that-crispr-will-cure-cancer

Related Article: https://www.livescience.com/58790-crispr-explained.html