When Bad Bugs Go Good
(TIME Magazine)
When Bad Bugs Go Good
Time: March 28, 2005
There are quite a few diseases that are incurable. One of the most infamous incurable diseases is cancer. Ever since the discovery of cancer, researchers have been looking for ways to treat it. While there have been advancements such as chemotherapy, such treatments only stall the later stages of the disease, rather than cure it. A new treatment, one that doctors hope will cure cancer, includes turning harmful human cells into cells that will invade malignant tumors.
The actual process of turning harmful human cells into helpful ones is not complicated. The only cells that are being transformed are ones that the majority of humans already have in their bodies. One such example is the measles virus, which is included in the human body as part of the measles vaccination. The virus is first disguised and manipulated so that they are able to break through the body's immune system, into the tumor. The virus is then administered to the patient, and progress is monitored. Tests have shown that if the virus can be contained, the bacteria could potentially kill the tumor.
Using harmful cells for good was originally started by doctors treating allergies, but the existence of many complications stopped the process. When patients were treated experimentally, they recovered a bit, before growing worse. The tumor would eventually be killed, but the patient wouldn't survive the treatment. Now, researchers have much more information about the genes and proteins that they will be using and targeting. Also, the use of trackers attached to the virus entering the body allows for doctors to make sure that the virus does not stray from its target.
This treatment holds within itself a great amount of hope for medical research. While the art of injecting a virus to help the body is not perfected, there is good chance that the cells will be able to kill tumors. In all recent progress reports, there have been remissions with every cancer treated with a good virus. With so great a population being infected by cancer, if such a treatment had positive, sure effects, many lives could be saved.
Resumos Relacionados
- Cold And You
- H.i.v Transmission
- How To Shed Extra Pounds
- Gene Therapy For Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Aids
|
|
