Zika virus used to treat aggressive brain cancer

Zika virus used to treat aggressive brain cancer
Brain tumour
A harmful virus that can cause devastating brain damage in babies could offer up a surprising new treatment for adult brain cancer, according to US scientists.
Until now, Zika has been seen only as a global health threat - not a remedy.
But the latest research shows the virus can selectively infect and kill hard-to-treat cancerous cells in adult brains.
Zika injections shrank aggressive tumours in fully grown mice, yet left other brain cells unscathed.
Human trials are still a way off, but experts believe Zika virus could potentially be injected into the brain at the same time as surgery to remove life-threatening tumours, the Journal of Experimental Medicine reports.

a virus in the brain
The Zika treatment appears to work on human cell samples in the lab.

There are many different types of brain cancer. Glioblastomas are the most common in adults and one of the trickiest to treat.
They are fast growing and diffuse, meaning they spread through the brain, making it difficult to see where a tumour ends and the healthy tissue begins.
Radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery may not be enough to remove these invasive cancers.
But the latest research, in living mice and donated human brain tissue samples, shows Zika therapy can kill cells that tend to be resistant to current treatments.
It is thought that these glioblastoma stem cells continue to grow and divide, producing new tumour cells even after aggressive medical treatment.
Different, healthy stem cells are found in abundance in baby brains, which probably explains why regular Zika can be so damaging to infants, say the researchers.
Adult brains, however, have very few stem cells. This means Zika treatment should destroy only the cancer-causing brain stem cells without causing much collateral damage.
As an extra safety precaution, the team, from Washington University School of Medicine and the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, have already begun modifying the virus to make it tamer than regular Zika.
Researcher Dr Michael Diamond said: "Once we add a few more changes, I think it's going to be impossible for the virus to overcome them and cause disease.
"It looks like there's a silver lining to Zika. This virus that targets cells that are very important for brain growth in babies, we could use that now to target growing tumours."
He hopes to begin human trials within 18 months.
Using viruses to fight cancer is not a new idea, but using Zika as the weapon of choice is.
UK scientists at the University of Cambridge are beginning similar trials with Zika.
Dr Catherine Pickworth, from Cancer Research UK, said: "This promising research shows that a modified version of the Zika virus can attack brain tumour cells in the lab.
"This could one day lead to new treatments for this particularly hard to treat a type of cancer."
Baby with microcephalyZika

§  Zika is a virus people can catch if they are bitten by an infected mosquito
§  Most people will have few or no symptoms, but the disease can pose a serious threat to babies in the womb
§  Affected infants have been born with abnormally small heads and underdeveloped brains - a condition known as microcephaly
§  The infection has been linked to severe birth defects in almost 30 countries
§  Although Zika is no longer "an international medical emergency", the World Health Organization says it is closely monitoring the infection


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Breast cancer charities: How to make an impact

Breast cancer charities: How to make an impact With thousands of charities competing for donations, it can be difficult to know where a financial gift to a good cause will make the biggest impact. This article outlines the top  breast cancer  charities in the United States and their specific contributions to the cause, plus other factors to keep in mind before donating. The history of the pink ribbon The pink ribbon is a symbol of breast cancer and is often sold to raise money for breast cancer charities. Breast cancer activist and survivor Charlotte Hayley inspired the design of the pink ribbon, which is still in use today. Hayley initially handed out peach-coloured looped ribbons that she made herself with a card stating: "The National Cancer Institute's annual budget is $1.8 billion, only 5 percent goes for  cancer  prevention. Help us wake up our legislators and America by wearing this ribbon." In 1991, the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundati...
Read more

Lung cancer and cough: What is the connection?

Image
Lung cancer and cough: What is the connection? Everyone has experienced a nagging cough after a cold or needed to cough while in a quiet room. Despite these problems, coughing actually serves a very valuable and useful purpose. Coughing is a protective action, helping the lungs clear out potential germs or harmful objects.  Sometimes, however, that cough is not linked to a cold or infection and can linger for weeks to months at a time. This may lead people to wonder or worry that their cough is a sign of something more serious, such as  lung cancer . This article takes a look at the connection between coughing and lung cancer, including when someone should see a doctor. Coughing and lung cancer A cough associated with lung cancer may be either dry or wet. Not every a cough signifies the presence of lung cancer. However, many people do complain of a chronic cough or a "cough that just won't go away" at the time of their diagnosis. If a cough is associate...
Read more

For people with Type 2 diabetes, there is an additional incentive for keeping the disease under management

For people with Type 2 diabetes, there is an additional incentive for keeping the disease under management  Research shows a possible link between diabetes and cognitive decline, including increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. The scientific reason behind the link between diabetes and brain health is complex. Some scientists believe people with diabetes may also have insulin resistance or insulin deficiency that could damage brain cells enough to cause memory loss. Studies are underway to understand why 80 percent of people with Alzheimer’s disease also have some form of diabetes or disturbed glucose metabolism. However, so far, longitudinal research has not produced a consensus view regarding the link between blood glucose levels and cognitive impairment. Meanwhile, in South Florida, medical professionals are working with diabetic patients to minimize the risk of cognitive decline through a variety of methods that include lifestyle, medical and mental-...
Read more