Sarcoma Treatment
Ashley DuFrene wrote an interesting post today on
Here’s a quick excerpt
I went to school at the University of Texas Health Science Center for my undergraduate degree, and continue to receive their magazine. A recent article discusses the experimental use of the reovirus in the treatment of sarcoma, a challenging type of cancer.
In brief, reovirus is the active ingredient in REOLYSIN, developed by Oncolytics Biotech. REOLYSIN (sorry for shouting, it is capitalized though) is not a chemotherapy drug in the traditional sense. Traditional chemotherapy drugs work by eliminating fast-growing cells, which means that in additional to the cancer cell, other cells such as the lining of the gastric mucosa, and blood cells are also affected. As the cells that compose hair divide rapidly, they too are affected, causing the baldness commonly associated with treatment. The reovirus is a mild, naturally occurring virus. Monica Mita, MD, the principal investigator, states that “Cancer cells have several molecular and genetic abnormalities. In normal, healthy […]
Read the rest of this great post here