There are tumors that, unfortunately, are extremely difficult to treat, so they require a different approach. One of the options are modified viruses that do not harm humans, but affect the tumor. This is exactly what researchers from Duke University managed to do, who were able to overcome one of the most aggressive tumors - glioblastoma.
Glioblastoma is one of the most common brain tumors and is extremely difficult to treat. According to statistics, most patients do not survive more than 20 months after diagnosis. Moreover, glioblastoma very often recurs, arising even after a seemingly positive outcome of treatment. At the same time, everything is used: chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and even surgical treatment when possible.
To solve a difficult problem, scientists decided to use a modified version of the polio virus. The fact is that this virus is tragic to the nervous tissue, and in particular to the CD155 protein. Glioblastoma produces this protein in excess, but using the pathogenic version is impossible and inhuman. To do this, experts have developed a version of the poliovirus, which is called PVSRIPO. It effectively recognizes CD155 and promotes the destruction of malignant cells without affecting healthy ones. Moreover, PVSRIPO stimulates the activity of the immune system, encouraging it to fight the disease.
During a series of experiments, 61 patients were selected with a recurrent (that is, one that returned after therapy) form of glioblastoma. 21% of patients treated with PVSRIPO were able to survive for more than 3 years. In another control group, which did not receive treatment, only 4% of patients lived for more than 3 years. At the same time, of those who receive treatment, 2 patients are still alive. And the experiment itself, by the way, has been going on for 6 years. Now the researchers plan to continue studying the drug, as well as find out how effective it will be in combination with other types of anticancer therapy.
Vladimir Kuznetsov