AnythingButWork Cities Food & Drink Gardening Health History Learning Science Society Travel Updates

Cancer Viruses

December 2007 - Ground-breaking research from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University published in PloS One has demonstrated successful treatment of cancers by targeting causative viruses and raised the possibility of prevention by destroying virus-infected cells before they turn cancerous. Researchers explain that nearly 20 per cent of human cancers result from pre-existing viral infections, for example liver cancer (caused by hepatitis B and C viruses), cervical cancer (caused by human papillomaviruses) and some types of lymphoma (caused by the Epstein-Barr virus).

Senior co-authors Arturo Casadevall and Ekaterina Dadachova together with first author Xing-Guo Wang (visiting scientist from Hubei University, China) and Howard D. Strickler and Robert D. Burk used the technique of radioimmunotherapy which "piggybacks" radioisotopes onto antibodies. Researchers explain that once injected these antibodies target a specific protein and the radioisotope destroys the attached cell. In this study the target was viral antigens; proteins expressed by virus-infected cells that can cause them to become cancerous. Antigens on cell surfaces were known to be susceptible to attack by antibodies but viral antigens associated with cancers typically remain inside infected cells, and were assumed to be out of reach.

Dr. Arturo Casadevall, Forchheimer Professor and chair of microbiology & immunology said:

"We had a hunch that rapidly growing tumors can 'outgrow' their blood supply, resulting in dead tumor cells that might spill their viral antigens amongst the living cancer cells. So we hoped that by injecting antibodies hitched to isotopes into the blood that they'd be carried deep into the tumor mass and would latch onto these now-exposed antigens. Then the blast of radiation emitted by the radioisotope would destroy the live tumor cells nearby."

Testing their theory in mice, researchers attached the radioisotope rhenium-18 to monoclonal antibodies made against viral antigens E6 (expressed by almost all cervical-cancer cells) and HBx (made by liver-cancer cells). In both cases, radioimmunotherapy resulted in significant reduction in tumor growth compared with tumors in untreated mice. In mice with cervical cancer, the therapy also caused tumor regression.

Dr. Ekaterina Dadachova, associate professor of nuclear medicine and of microbiology & immunology commented:

"Radioimmunotherapy not only worked against these cancers, but in addition the radioactivity was confined entirely to the tumor masses, leaving healthy tissues undamaged."

In a series of animal studies beginning in 2001, Dr. Dadachova has pioneered successful applications of radioimmunotherapy in the treatment of infection-related diseases such as the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans and a streptococcal bacterium responsible for pneumonia. In 2006, she and her colleagues showed that this technique could help halt HIV by targeting one of several viral proteins displayed on the surface of infected cells.

Ekaterina Dadachova added:

"Virus-associated cancers account for some 1.3 million cancer cases each year, so the need for new strategies in treating them is obvious and urgent. Our study has shown in principle that radioimmunotherapy can help in treating cancers caused by viruses - and, just as exciting, the approach also holds promise for cancer prevention. In people chronically infected with hepatitis B or C, human papillomaviruses, or other viruses known to cause cancer, radioimmunotherapy could potentially eliminate virus-infected cells before they're able to transform into cancer cells."

Related Articles

  • 20,000 New Cancer Cases A Day Worldwide
    A report from the American Cancer Society estimates that 2007 saw over 12 million new cancer cases and 7.6 million cancer deaths (about 20,000 a day) worldwide. Of these, 5.4 million cases and 2.9 million deaths occurred in economically developed countries, compared to 6.7 million cases and 4.7 million deaths in developing economies.
  • How Antioxidants May Work
    Very high doses of antioxidant polyphenols (commonly found in red wine, fruits, vegetables, and green tea) shut down and prevented cancerous tumors by inhibiting new blood vessel formation. Conversely, at relatively low doses they play a beneficial role in cardiac and circulatory diseases by facilitating blood vessel growth.
  • 21st Century Breast Cancer Management
    New developments in breast cancer imaging, timing of chemotherapy, and vaccine research may offer innovative non-surgical interventions resulting in significant changes to current screening and treatment practice and improvements in patient care.
  • Cancer Care
    Women with breast cancer who are obese, less educated or have lower household incomes may be more likely to receive reduced doses of chemotherapy thereby jeopardizing their survival.
  • Health Benefits of Olive Oil
    New research suggests that significant differences in cancer rates between northern and southern Europeans may be explained by the anti-cancer effects of olive oil in the diet.
  • Combination Therapy and Breast Cancer
    Radiation therapy and chemotherapy administered concurrently after lumpectomy helps prevent local reoccurrence of breast cancer.
  • Search For Better Breast Cancer Drugs
    A joint initiative between computer scientists at the University of Edinburgh and cellular biologists at the Riken Genomic Research Centre in Japan may result in improved drug treatments for breast cancer sufferers that will also minimize side effects.

Anythingbutwork.com makes minimal use of cookies, including some placed to facilitate features such as Google Search. By continuing to use the site you are agreeing to the use of cookies. Learn more here

Contact
Linked sites
Privacy Policy
Garden Guide
British Isles
City Visit Guide
Job Skills
Copyright © 2006-2023 Alan Price and AnythingButWork.com contributors. All rights reserved.