Virus World

A small UK study found promising signs of a kinder, less invasive treatment for the disease. 

 

All signs of the disease disappeared in one patient, and in 14 others there was evidence that cancer cells had died. University of Surrey researchers said the virus could "help revolutionise treatment" for the cancer and reduce the risk of it recurring. 

 

When tissues samples were analysed after surgery, there were signs the virus had targeted and killed cancer cells in the bladder.

Once these cells had died, the virus had then reproduced and infected other cancerous cells - but all other healthy cells were left intact.

 

The plan is now to use the common cold virus with a targeted immunotherapy drug treatment, called a checkpoint inhibitor, in a future trial in more patients. Dr Nicola Annels, research fellow at the University of Surrey, said viruses like the coxsackievirus "could signal a move away from more established treatments such as chemotherapy".