A single injection to cure cancer
Researchers have taken an innovative approach to find a cure for cancer. A single injection “vaccination” has shown to eliminate tumors in mice without any risk of relapse.
Researchers at Stanford University Medical Center believe a small injection directly into the tumor could be used as rapid delivery of cancer therapy with limited side effects. The injection has two agents, that when directly applied, reactivate cancer specific T-cells.
The injection directly into the tumor allows for activation of only the exposed T-cells, removing the difficult step of figuring out which proteins the T-cells are recognizing. This method ‘trains’ the T-cells so when they leave the tumor, they can now actively act against other cancer cells throughout the body, preventing metastases and tumor spreading.
These results have streamlined researchers into human studies, where they are going to look at its effectiveness in a small group of patients with low-grade lymphoma.
This approach has many benefits without the caveats of other immunotherapy, such as whole body targeting, time and high costs.
Lead researcher Dr. Levy concludes;
“I don’t think there’s a limit to the type of tumor we could potentially treat, as long as it has been infiltrated by the immune system”
To learn more about this research, visit The Global Source for Science News.
Questions: What are your thoughts on a single injection as a cure for cancer? How familiar are you with immunotherapy?
