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Virus can help kill ovarian cancers

23 February 2005
by Richard Conan-Davies

The equivalent of a common cold virus has been harnessed to target and kill ovarian cancer cells according to Australian medical researchers.

Using a virus called EV1 they showed that it is possible to use this technique to target ovarian cancers.

This technique called virotherapy involves attaching viruses to the cancerous cells. The virus then replicates within the tumour and kills off the cancerous cells.

Professor Shafren explained to the University of Newcastle that "The Study using EV1 targeted and destroyed all ovarian cancer cells tested while the normal non cancerous ovarian cells and human blood cells were unharmed by the virus,"

rhinovirus

A computerised image of a rhinovirus (common cold), similar to EV1 that is used in virotherapy

Dr.Richard D. Barry of the Faculty of Health at the Univeristy of Newcastle told ClearlyExplained.Com News that "Clinical trials of the use of living viruses for the treatment of a number of cancer types have already been completed or are in progress, and I know that quite a few more are on the drawing board"

This technique is also known in the medical world as Replicating Oncolytic Virus Therapics.

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Original news release from NewCastle University

 


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