Virus-Armed Immune Cells Versus Cancer

Fight Aging!

Do you want to live a longer life in good health? Simple practices can make some difference, such as exercise or calorie restriction. But over the long haul all that really matters is progress in medicine: building new classes of therapy to repair and reverse the known root causes of aging. The sooner these treatments arrive, the more lives will be saved. Find out how to help »

(From Forbes). The weight of funding in the field of cancer research is driving promising technology demonstrations in this age of rapidly advancing biotechnology: "The technique -- which uses targeted viruses hidden in immune cells to destroy tumors -- has only succeeded in mice so far, and it's not known if it will work in humans. ... some viruses hone in on cancer cells, and they know that the immune system often swings into action whenever it detects a tumor. Blending these two potential weapons, researchers at Stanford University have taken immune cells, 'supercharged' them with a cancer-killing virus, and sent them on a mission to destroy tumors. ... the study's authors say the approach appeared to kill off tumors in mice infected with human ovarian cancer cells." The reliable prevention and cure of all cancer is vital to healthy life extension; cancer is in many ways the most threatening and pervasive age-related condition.

Link: http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/health/feeds/hscout/2006/03/23/hscout531726.html