Logan Reid
Henrietta Lacks, born Loretta Pleasant on August 1, 1920, was an African-American woman whose cancer cells are the source of the HeLa cell line, the first immortalized human cell line. In January 1951, four and a half months after giving birth to her fifth child, Lacks sought treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, the only hospital in the area that treated Black patients. During her treatment for cervical cancer, doctors took samples of her cancerous tissue without her knowledge or consent, which became one of the most powerful research tools ever.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the Hospital | Johns Hopkins Hospital |
| Location | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Year of Treatment | 1951 |
| Treatment | Cancer treatment, blood transfusions |
| Age at the time of treatment | 31 |
| Date of death | October 4, 1951 |
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What You'll Learn
- Henrietta Lacks was treated at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, in 1951
- Johns Hopkins was the only hospital in the area that treated Black patients
- Lacks received treatment for nine months
- She received blood transfusions and medication to ease her pain
- Lacks' cancer cells are the source of the HeLa cell line, which has been critical to medical advances
Henrietta Lacks was treated at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, in 1951
Lacks first went to Johns Hopkins in January 1951 after feeling a "knot" in her womb. She was diagnosed with cervical cancer—four and a half months after giving birth to her fifth child. During treatment for her cancer, doctors took samples of her cancerous tissue without her knowledge or consent. These cells, known as HeLa cells, were the first immortalised human cell line and continue to be a source of invaluable medical data today.
HeLa cells have been used to develop the polio vaccine, HPV vaccines, and map the human genome. They have also been vital in discovering how HPV causes cervical cancer and in the development of chemotherapy treatments.
Johns Hopkins has never sold or profited from the discovery or distribution of HeLa cells and does not own the rights to the HeLa cell line. The hospital has been supportive of legal changes since 1951 that protect research subjects and is committed to honouring the contributions of Henrietta Lacks.
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Johns Hopkins was the only hospital in the area that treated Black patients
Henrietta Lacks, born Loretta Pleasant, was an African-American woman who lived from 1920 to 1951. She was the source of the HeLa cell line, which has been critical to numerous advances in medicine. Lacks's cancer cells were the first immortalised human cell line, continuing to reproduce indefinitely under specific conditions and providing invaluable medical data to the present day.
In 1950, four and a half months after giving birth to her fifth child, Lacks was diagnosed with cervical cancer. She sought treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, in January 1951, as it was the only hospital in the area that treated Black patients. During her treatment, doctors took samples of her cancerous tissue without her knowledge or consent. This was acceptable and legal practice at the time, but it raises ethical questions about informed consent and medical privacy.
Johns Hopkins Hospital had a history of racial segregation. Before 1946, the hospital's School of Hygiene and Public Health upheld segregation laws and did not admit African-American students. Even after the first Black student, Reginald G. James, was admitted in 1945, Black students continued to face barriers in various programs. For example, Black students were not admitted to the Johns Hopkins Hospital School of Nursing until 1952 or as candidates for an MD until 1963. Additionally, Black doctors were prevented from entering residency programs or obtaining admitting rights, even to care for Black patients in separate wards.
The racial inequity in Lacks's case helped spark a movement for medical justice and ethics. Today, Johns Hopkins recognises the need to do more to inform and work with members of the Lacks family, honouring Henrietta Lacks's contributions and ensuring the protection and care of their medical information.
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Lacks received treatment for nine months
Henrietta Lacks was born Loretta Pleasant on August 1, 1920, in Roanoke, Virginia. She was raised by her grandfather, Thomas Lacks, in a log cabin that was once the slave quarters on a plantation that had been owned by her white great-grandfather and great-uncle. Growing up in a time of racial segregation, Henrietta attended a school designated for black children only. She dropped out of school to work on a tobacco farm to support her family.
In November 1950, Lacks gave birth to her fifth child at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, the only hospital in the area that treated black patients. Four and a half months later, in January 1951, she noticed a "knot" in her womb and experienced vaginal bleeding. She sought treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital, where she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Lacks received treatment for nine months, including radium therapy and blood transfusions. During her treatment, doctors took samples of her cancerous tissue without her knowledge or consent.
Henrietta Lacks died on October 4, 1951, at the age of 31. Her cells, known as HeLa cells, were the first immortalized human cell line and continue to have a massive impact on medical research, including advancements in chemotherapy and the development of vaccines.
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She received blood transfusions and medication to ease her pain
Henrietta Lacks was treated at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. At the time, Johns Hopkins was the only hospital in the area that treated Black patients. Lacks was admitted to the hospital in August 1951, four months after giving birth to her fifth child. She had been diagnosed with cervical cancer and sought treatment after feeling a knot in her womb.
During her treatment, Lacks received multiple blood transfusions. She also received medication to ease her pain as her health declined. Despite these efforts, Lacks' cancer continued to spread, and she ultimately passed away on October 4, 1951, at the age of 31.
Lacks' cells, known as HeLa cells, were the first immortalized human cell line and have been critical in numerous medical advances. They were the first cells that could be easily shared and multiplied in a lab setting, leading to breakthroughs in chemotherapy and other treatments. However, the collection of her cells without her knowledge or consent has raised ethical concerns and highlighted the need for informed consent in medical research.
Lacks' legacy continues to be honoured, with Johns Hopkins acknowledging that more could have been done to inform and work with her family. A multidisciplinary building on the Johns Hopkins East Baltimore campus has been named in her honour, recognising her invaluable contribution to medical research.
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Lacks' cancer cells are the source of the HeLa cell line, which has been critical to medical advances
In 1951, Henrietta Lacks, a 31-year-old African American woman, sought treatment for irregular vaginal bleeding at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, the only hospital in the area that treated Black patients. She was subsequently diagnosed with cervical cancer. During her treatment, doctors took samples of her cancerous tissue without her knowledge or consent.
Henrietta Lacks's cancer cells are the source of the HeLa cell line, which has been critical to numerous medical advances. HeLa cells are the first immortalised human cell line, meaning they can reproduce indefinitely under specific conditions. They were the first human cells to be successfully cloned in 1953. They are also durable and prolific, allowing for extensive applications in scientific study.
HeLa cells have been used in cancer research, leading to advancements in chemotherapy and the treatment of blood cancers. They have also been used to define cancer markers in RNA and to establish an RNAi-based identification system and interference of specific cancer cells. In 2011, HeLa cells were used in tests of novel heptamethine dyes, which are being explored for their unique uses in medical diagnostics and the individualised treatment of cancer patients.
HeLa cells have contributed to research beyond cancer. They were used by Jonas Salk to test the first polio vaccine in the 1950s. They have also been used in research involving fullerenes to induce apoptosis as part of photodynamic therapy. Additionally, HeLa cells played a role in understanding how the anti-morning sickness drug, thalidomide, caused birth defects. This knowledge was then applied to halt the progress of certain cancers.
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Frequently asked questions
Henrietta Lacks was treated at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.
Johns Hopkins was the only hospital in the area that treated Black patients.
Lacks was treated for cervical cancer. She first went to the hospital because she felt a knot in her womb.
No, Lacks died on October 4, 1951, at the age of 31.
