Researchers at the University of Tokyo and Shinshu University have developed a new drug for treating skin cancer using a genetically modified virus, public broadcaster NHK reported on Thursday.
The cancer “viral therapy” uses a genetically modified virus to attack cancer cells in patients with skin cancer by replicating only in cancer cells.
Professor Todo Toshiki of the University of Tokyo and his team conducted the study on patients with a rapidly progressing type of skin cancer to test its effectiveness in other types of cancer.
The results showed that there was improvement in 77.8 percent of the patients tested, seven out of nine, who received both conventional treatment and viral therapy, highlighting the importance of combining treatment with viral therapy.
Since no serious side effects have been reported so far, researchers are expected to test the treatment on nine more patients to ensure safety and efficacy.
Todo said the treatment could become a new option in cases where conventional treatments have not been effective.
“If the treatment can be used for different types of cancer, it could fundamentally change cancer treatment,” Todo added, according to AA.
