New treatment for pancreatic cancer: viral therapy with growth factors has the potential to kill cancer cells
Release date: 2015-04-23 Pancreatic cancer is often referred to as the "silent killer" because of its early symptoms. A study published by the Canadian scientist in the journal Nature Medicine published on the 20th pointed out that the virus may be a weapon to overcome this killer. Source: China Science and Technology Network - Technology Daily 1-Piece Ostomy Pouch,One Piece Ostomy Bags,One Piece Ostomy Pouch,1 Piece Ostomy Bag Henan Maidingkang Medical Technology Co.,Ltd , https://www.mdkmedical.com
The 5-year survival rate for patients with confirmed pancreatic cancer is only 6%, which is the lowest among all common cancer types, and the survival rate has not improved substantially over the past 40 years. Major surgery is still the only way to treat pancreatic cancer, but it can only be done before the tumor has spread to the organ. In most cases, it is too late for the patient to find pancreatic cancer, even if the surgery can not fully recover.
Pancreatic cancer is resistant to conventional treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy because pancreatic tumors have a distinctive structure with high concentrations of stromal cells. These cells interact with pancreatic cancer cells to protect and promote tumor growth. The latest research describes the "ecological system" of pancreatic cancer tumors, including a complex network of stromal cells and malignant cells. Stromal cells usually help to maintain tissue, but can also be incorporated by cancer cells to promote tumor growth.
John Bale, a senior scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, said that the biological principles that make pancreatic tumors so stubborn are also vulnerable to design viruses. The researchers isolated these cell types and studied how they interact with each other and with the virus. Contrary to the expected results, the researchers found that the interaction between stromal cells and malignant cells makes them more susceptible to viral infection, so viral infection may become a new idea for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.
The researchers designed a virus and conducted preliminary theoretical tests. They used a modified growth factor secreted by numerous stromal cells in pancreatic tumors to embed a modified Maraba virus (isolated from Brazilian white peony for the first time). The newly designed virus proved to have more potential to kill cancer cells than the original Maraba virus, and the researchers attributed it to the effects of new growth factors. In some experimental mice, the virus can cause complete regression of the tumor.
Bell believes that this method provides a new alternative for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Patients with pancreatic cancer are likely to endorse and try new viral-based cancer therapies in the current situation where the efficacy of existing methods is generally poor. However, it will take several years to actually enter clinical trials.