COLUMBUS, Ohio, Apr 08, 2005 (United Press International via COMTEX) —— Scientists in Columbus, Ohio, have developed a virus to attacks cancer cells that significantly helped mice with an incurable human brain tumor.
The researchers genetically altered a herpes simplex virus that only infects malignant gliomas, a type of highly lethal, quick spreading, brain tumor.
They enhanced its ability to replicate itself and kill cancer cells, then tested the virus on mice implanted with malignant gliomas.
Eight of 10 mice treated with the virus a week after implantation survived 90 days and two of 10 mice treated with a nonactive control virus survived 90 days. Untreated mice lived for only 21 days.
When treatment was delayed until symptoms emerged - the usual point of diagnosis in humans —— two of 10 animals treated with the virus survive 24 days but all of the control animals died three days earlier.
"The treatment extended the animals' lives by several days," said E. Antonio Chiocca, chairman of neurological surgery at The Ohio State University Medical Center. "If we could achieve a proportional increase in humans with malignant glioma, that would be a very significant advance."