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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,"
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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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