Jordan Ellis
Henrietta Lacks, a 30-year-old African-American woman, was admitted to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1951. She was suffering from cervical cancer, which was a death sentence at the time. During her treatment, doctors took a biopsy of her cervical cells without her consent, which became the first immortal cell line and one of the most important cell lines in medical research. Lacks received the standard treatment for invasive cervical cancer at the time, which included stitching tubes and pouches filled with radium inside her cervix. She was also given blood transfusions and medication to ease her pain. Despite the treatment, Lacks' health continued to deteriorate, and she passed away on October 4, 1951. The cells taken from her tumor, known as HeLa cells, have since revolutionized medical research and played a significant role in developing polio vaccines, cancer treatments, and mapping the human genome. However, the lack of consent and the ethical implications of using her cells without her knowledge have raised bioethical concerns.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Treatment | Radium therapy |
| First treatment | Tissue sample taken from the tumour under sedation |
| Subsequent treatments | Tubes of radium placed in little pouches and sewn to the inside of her cervix |
| Other procedures | Blood transfusions |
| Outcome | Cancer unresponsive to treatment; spread throughout her body |
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What You'll Learn
She received the standard treatment for cervical cancer at the time
Henrietta Lacks, born Loretta Pleasant, was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1951. She received her diagnosis and treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, the only hospital in the area that treated Black patients at the time.
Lacks underwent the standard treatment for cervical cancer in the 1950s, which involved radium therapy. During her first treatment, while sedated, the surgeon on duty, Lawrence Wharton Jr., placed tubes of radium into small pouches called Brack plaques, which were then sewn onto the inside of her cervix. Radium is a radioactive metal that can cause mutations leading to cancer, but it can also be used to kill cancer cells.
During this first procedure, Lacks had two tissue samples extracted from her cervix: one from the tumour and one from healthy cervical tissue. These samples were passed on to Dr. George Otto Gey, the head of tissue culture research at Johns Hopkins. The cells from Lacks' tumour were then placed in a culture medium and labelled "HeLa" to identify them.
Following her initial treatment, Lacks was discharged from the hospital and returned home to care for her family. However, her health deteriorated as the cancer spread and proved unresponsive to radiation treatment. She was admitted to Johns Hopkins Hospital again in August 1951, where she was given medication to manage her pain until her death on October 4, 1951.
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Tissue was taken from her tumour without her consent
Henrietta Lacks, a 30-year-old African-American woman, sought treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1951. She was diagnosed with cervical cancer, and during her first treatment, under sedation, the surgeon took a tissue sample from her tumour. This tissue sample was then passed on to the head of tissue culture research at Johns Hopkins, Dr. George Otto Gey.
At the time, it was common practice for doctors to take extra tissue samples from patients during biopsies for research purposes, without the patient's consent. This was also the case for cancer patients of any race or socioeconomic status. As a result, most patients were unaware of what would happen to their cells, and neither Henrietta nor her family knew that tissue samples from her tumour had been given to Dr. Gey for research.
The cells taken from Henrietta's tumour were placed in a culture medium and labelled "HeLa" to identify them. Dr. Gey's lab successfully grew the first immortal cell line, and he shared samples of HeLa cells with his colleagues. These cells continue to multiply and are still used for medical research today, playing a significant role in developing polio vaccines, cancer treatments, HPV vaccines, and mapping the human genome.
The lack of consent in Henrietta's case has raised bioethical concerns regarding informed consent, medical records privacy, and communication with tissue donors and research participants. In recent years, there have been legal changes to protect research subjects, and institutions like Johns Hopkins have expressed commitment to protecting the privacy and interests of patients and their families.
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She was discharged from the hospital after her first treatment
Henrietta Lacks was discharged from Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, following her first cancer treatment. At the time, she was unaware that doctors had taken cell samples from her tumour for research purposes.
Lacks first went to Johns Hopkins Hospital in January 1951 because she felt a lump or "knot" in her womb. She was diagnosed with cervical cancer, which had been causing unexplained vaginal bleeding. As the only hospital in the area that treated Black patients, Lacks had to travel to Baltimore to receive treatment.
During her first treatment, Lacks was sedated, and the surgeon on duty, Lawrence Wharton Jr., took tissue samples from her tumour and her normal cervical tissue. These samples were then passed on to the head of tissue culture research at Johns Hopkins, Dr George Otto Gey.
After her discharge, Lacks returned to work in the tobacco fields. However, her health deteriorated over the next six months, and she was readmitted to Johns Hopkins Hospital in August 1951. Unfortunately, the cancer had spread and was unresponsive to radiation treatment. Lacks was given medication to ease her pain, but she passed away on 4 October 1951, at the age of 31.
The cells taken from Lacks during her treatment became one of the most important cell lines in medical research, known as the HeLa cell line. They were the first immortalised human cell line, able to reproduce indefinitely under specific conditions. The HeLa cell line has contributed significantly to numerous biomedical research advancements, including the development of the polio vaccine, cancer treatments, HPV vaccines, and mapping the human genome.
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She was given medication to ease her pain
Henrietta Lacks, born Loretta Pleasant, was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1951. She was 30 years old at the time. Lacks was treated at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, the only hospital in the area that treated Black patients.
Lacks underwent radium therapy as part of her treatment. During her first treatment, while she was under sedation, a surgeon took a tissue sample from her tumour. This sample was then passed on to the head of tissue culture research at Johns Hopkins, Dr. George Otto Gey.
Lacks was also given medication to ease her pain. She passed away on October 4, 1951, at the age of 31. Her cancer had metastasized throughout her body.
The cells taken from Lacks' tumour were cultured and became the first immortalised human cell line, known as the HeLa cell line. This cell line continues to be a valuable tool in medical research, contributing to numerous advancements and discoveries. However, the collection of Lacks' cells without her consent has raised ethical concerns and sparked debates over individual rights to genetic material.
Lacks' story highlights the importance of informed consent and the protection of research subjects' rights and privacy. While the collection and use of her cells were legal at the time, the incident has prompted discussions and legal changes to ensure better protection for individuals involved in medical research.
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She died in the hospital on 4 October 1951
Henrietta Lacks, born Loretta Pleasant, was an African-American woman who died at the age of 31 on 4 October 1951 at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. She was the unwitting source of the HeLa cell line, the first immortalised human cell line, which has become one of the most important cell lines in medical research.
Lacks first went to Johns Hopkins, the only hospital in the area that treated black patients, in January 1951 because she felt a "knot" in her womb. She was diagnosed with cervical cancer and received treatment in the form of radium therapy and X-ray therapy. During her treatment, doctors took a tissue sample from her tumour and passed it on to the head of tissue culture research at Johns Hopkins, Dr. George Otto Gey.
At the time, it was routine practice to collect cells from patients without their knowledge or consent, and Lacks was never informed that her cells were being used for research. She received blood transfusions and remained at the hospital until her death. A partial autopsy showed that the cancer had metastasized throughout her entire body, with the official cause of death being terminal uremia.
The HeLa cell line has had a significant impact on medical research and continues to be a source of invaluable medical data. However, the case of Henrietta Lacks has also raised bioethical concerns around informed consent, medical records privacy, and communication with tissue donors and research participants.
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Frequently asked questions
Henrietta Lacks was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1951.
Lacks received the standard treatment for invasive cervical cancer at the time, which included stitching tubes and pouches filled with radium inside her cervix. She also received blood transfusions.
Yes. Tissue samples were taken from Lacks without her knowledge or consent and used for research. This practice was legal at the time, but it has since raised bioethical concerns about informed consent, privacy, and communication with tissue donors.
No. Lacks died from cervical cancer on October 4, 1951, at the age of 31. Her cancer was unresponsive to radiation treatment, and she ultimately died in agony a few months after her diagnosis.
