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AnonymousInactiveScorpion venom attacks tumours
Researchers have developed a “man-made” scorpion venom to be used in the treatment of brain tumours.
The
venom is used as a carrier to deliver radioactive iodine into tumour
cells left behind after surgery has removed the bulk of the tumour.So
far the technique has been tested in 18 patients and further trials are
under way, a report in the Journal of Clinical Oncology says.Initial
findings suggest the treatment is well-tolerated and may be
effective.Gliomas can be a particularly aggressive form of brain
tumours, with only 8% of patients surviving two years and 3% surviving
five years from the time of diagnosis.Despite advances in surgery,
radiotherapy and chemotherapy, there has been little improvement in
length of survival for patients with gliomas.Researchers at
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, in California, carried out a study using
TM-601, a synthetic version of a peptide that naturally occurs in the
venom of the giant yellow Israeli scorpion.Unlike many substances, the
peptide can pass through the bloodstream into the brain and can bind to
glioma cells.Patients in the study first had surgery to remove
their tumour.Then 14 to 28 days later, a single, low dose of TM-601
with radioactive iodine attached was injected into the cavity from
which the tumour had been removed.Six patients were given additional
doses of the drug.The main reason for the trial was to check tolerance
of the dose and the researchers said there were very few adverse
effects.Median length of survival for all patients was 27 weeks, but
two patients had no evidence of tumour and were still alive 33 and 35
months after surgery.Tumour specific
Analysis showed that
most of the radioactivity delivered by the drug had disappeared after
24 hours.Any radiation that was left was localised to the tumour
cavity, suggesting the drug was binding to the tumour cells rather than
normal brain cells.The drug also binds to other types of tumours and
the researchers are planning further studies.Study leader Dr Adam
Mamelak, a neurosurgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, said: “We’re
using TM-601 primarily as a carrier to transport radioactive iodine to
glioma cells, although there are data to suggest that it may also slow
down the growth of tumour cells.”If studies continue to confirm this,
we may be able to use it in conjunction with other treatments, such as
chemotherapy, because there may be a synergistic effect.”Ed Yong,
cancer information officer at Cancer Research UK, said: “Treating brain
cancers with radioactive scorpion venom sounds like science
fiction.”But this preliminary study shows that this approach is safe
and has potential. Now, larger trials are needed to work out how
effective it is.”This study highlights the varied and ingenious
approaches that scientists are using to improve cancer treatments.” -
AuthorAugust 1, 2006 at 11:44 AM
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