Statement of Purpose
Problem: There are no known, functioning cures for Epidermodysplasia verruciformis. This disease ruins the lives of those it affects and is very costly for even the most palliative measures and treatments. “Tree Man Disease”, as it is colloquially known, results from a weakened immune system due to Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or HIV, and then the HPV wart infection on top of this.
The warts grow out of control because of the patient's’ weakened immune system, and soon look like bark and wood, hence the name. Since so few people are affected, there have been few attempts on creating a definitive cure. The most attempted solution has been surgery,
Previously Attempted Solutions: “Tree men” have been given extensive surgery to remove the overgrowth of warts, but the growths always return. The scientists are stumped by this disease, so the only current (good) option is to give the patient surgery every six months. This is expensive, dangerous, and obviously not desirable. Some topical creams or solutions have been attempted, and seem to have some success. These creams can help weaken the growths, allowing for easier removal. However, this cream has only been attempted a handful of times, is not produced widely enough to be an attainable cure for all patients with the disease, and may not work for all cases.
No other therapies for epidermodysplasia verruciformis are definitive, though many have been attempted. Treatment of epidermodysplasia verruciformis includes several preventive measures, the most important of which is strict sun avoidance and protection, beginning as soon as the diagnosis is made.
Current limitations/Present Need: In almost all cases, the warts grow back because the underlying problem of a weakened immune system (often if not always caused by HIV) cannot prevent the warts from taking over. Warts are also subdermal and cannot be easily removed. So far to our knowledge, no attempt has been made to treat the HIV and HPV directly, as neither have a definitive cure either.
It has been difficult for surgeons and doctors to get through all of the “tree bark” (warts and growths) to treat the problem. Medical instruments are no match for these tough, sometimes cancerous growths. Topical cream can aid in the weakening and removal of these growths, but it will not fix the problem. This is why we will infuse billions of CAR T-cells into the bloodstream. The T-Cells will take out the HIV/HPV before they know what even hit them.
Proposed Solution/Product: We propose T-cell injections to boost the patient’s immune system and help them fight off the HIV and HPV viruses. This is just one step in our cure. It could be combined with other treatments, such as an improved version of the cream mentioned earlier or further surgeries.
Stem cells could also be drawn from a willing patient. With these, researchers could potentially insert or splice genetic instructions into the cells to make them resistant to the virus. They could then be re-inserted into the patient, hopefully allowing the victim to fight off the infections plaguing them. Though we are not sure if this is a one-time fix or how expensive this potential cure might be, hopefully this would work.
In addition, the best “cure” is prevention. To avoid getting this disease in the first place, we would encourage everyone to get the new(er) HPV vaccine, as well as take preventative measures to avoid HIV. A patient should stay protect and covered if they are in the sun often. If any symptoms begin to show, they should immediately report to a doctor. Though not much research has been done, it may also be beneficial to get any growths removed as soon as they appear to prevent further growth or spreading.
Credit:
Virtual Mentor and Credentials:
Doctor Gordon Lithgow
Problem: There are no known, functioning cures for Epidermodysplasia verruciformis. This disease ruins the lives of those it affects and is very costly for even the most palliative measures and treatments. “Tree Man Disease”, as it is colloquially known, results from a weakened immune system due to Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or HIV, and then the HPV wart infection on top of this.
The warts grow out of control because of the patient's’ weakened immune system, and soon look like bark and wood, hence the name. Since so few people are affected, there have been few attempts on creating a definitive cure. The most attempted solution has been surgery,
Previously Attempted Solutions: “Tree men” have been given extensive surgery to remove the overgrowth of warts, but the growths always return. The scientists are stumped by this disease, so the only current (good) option is to give the patient surgery every six months. This is expensive, dangerous, and obviously not desirable. Some topical creams or solutions have been attempted, and seem to have some success. These creams can help weaken the growths, allowing for easier removal. However, this cream has only been attempted a handful of times, is not produced widely enough to be an attainable cure for all patients with the disease, and may not work for all cases.
No other therapies for epidermodysplasia verruciformis are definitive, though many have been attempted. Treatment of epidermodysplasia verruciformis includes several preventive measures, the most important of which is strict sun avoidance and protection, beginning as soon as the diagnosis is made.
Current limitations/Present Need: In almost all cases, the warts grow back because the underlying problem of a weakened immune system (often if not always caused by HIV) cannot prevent the warts from taking over. Warts are also subdermal and cannot be easily removed. So far to our knowledge, no attempt has been made to treat the HIV and HPV directly, as neither have a definitive cure either.
It has been difficult for surgeons and doctors to get through all of the “tree bark” (warts and growths) to treat the problem. Medical instruments are no match for these tough, sometimes cancerous growths. Topical cream can aid in the weakening and removal of these growths, but it will not fix the problem. This is why we will infuse billions of CAR T-cells into the bloodstream. The T-Cells will take out the HIV/HPV before they know what even hit them.
Proposed Solution/Product: We propose T-cell injections to boost the patient’s immune system and help them fight off the HIV and HPV viruses. This is just one step in our cure. It could be combined with other treatments, such as an improved version of the cream mentioned earlier or further surgeries.
Stem cells could also be drawn from a willing patient. With these, researchers could potentially insert or splice genetic instructions into the cells to make them resistant to the virus. They could then be re-inserted into the patient, hopefully allowing the victim to fight off the infections plaguing them. Though we are not sure if this is a one-time fix or how expensive this potential cure might be, hopefully this would work.
In addition, the best “cure” is prevention. To avoid getting this disease in the first place, we would encourage everyone to get the new(er) HPV vaccine, as well as take preventative measures to avoid HIV. A patient should stay protect and covered if they are in the sun often. If any symptoms begin to show, they should immediately report to a doctor. Though not much research has been done, it may also be beneficial to get any growths removed as soon as they appear to prevent further growth or spreading.
Credit:
- http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1131981-treatment
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIKe4aFzln0
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epidermodysplasia_verruciformis
- http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/26/asia/bangladesh-tree-man-surgery/
- http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/research/car-t-cells
Virtual Mentor and Credentials:
Doctor Gordon Lithgow