Viral therapy could boost limb-saving cancer treatment
Tuesday, July 22, 2014 - 15:02
in Health & Medicine
Viruses designed to target and kill cancer cells could boost the effectiveness of chemotherapy to the arms and legs and help avoid amputation, a new study reports. Researchers tested the effectiveness of a genetically engineered version of the virus used to vaccinate against smallpox. They found use of the virus alongside isolated limb perfusion chemotherapy -- given directly to blood vessels supplying the affected arm or leg as an alternative to amputation -- was more effective in rats than either treatment on its own.