A breakthrough in medical science is on the door steps as scientists try to develop an anti-cancer virus. It is likely to change the approach to cancer treatment in the coming days. Modifying vaccinia virus which is being used to develop a smallpox vaccine were first time have been used on cancer patients with positive results.The virus has initially been injected for testing its safety in 23 patients. The virus named JX-594, is dependent upon a chemical pathway, common in some cancers, in order to replicate. Its replication stops the growth of cancerous cells though does not kill them. In the eight patients receiving the highest dose, seven had the virus replicating in their tumors, but not in healthy tissue.
The approach is new and advances are encouraging. The currently recommended method is intravenous injection so that it can reach to all affected organs but higher concentrations directly at the affected points is also being considered to enable killing of diseased cells.
Cancer Research UK’s Prof Nick Lemoine, also director of Barts Cancer Institute, said: “Viruses that multiply in just tumor cells – avoiding healthy cells – are showing real promise as a new biological approach to target hard-to-treat cancers.
http://www.mediconews.com
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