Researchers studying ways to protect pregnant women from malaria have made a discovery that could potentially lead to a cure for cancer.
The team found that the proteins from the malaria vaccine can attack cancer cells when combined with a toxin, effectively killing them off.
This breakthrough came about while experts were searching for methods to safeguard expectant mothers from malaria. They realized that the same mechanism used to combat malaria could be applied to fighting cancer.
Evidence and Context ¶
The process has undergone testing in both cell-based experiments and on mice with cancer. The results showed significant promise, with reductions in tumor sizes and increased survival rates among the test subjects.
According to Ali Salanti from the University of Copenhagen, "The biggest questions are whether it’ll work in the human body, and if the human body can tolerate the doses needed without developing side effects."
However, the researchers remain optimistic due to the protein’s apparent selectivity for a carbohydrate found only in the placenta and cancer tumors in humans.
Response and Consequences ¶
Mads Daugaard, a cancer researcher at the University of British Columbia, explained, "We have separated the malaria protein, which attaches itself to the carbohydrate and then added a toxin. By conducting tests on mice, we have been able to show that the combination of protein and toxin kill the cancer cells."
The experiment yielded notable results, including reducing non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma tumors to a quarter of their original size and eliminating prostate cancer entirely in two out of six mice. Additionally, five out of six mice with metastatic bone cancer remained alive, unlike the control group, which succumbed to the disease.
While these findings hold considerable promise, the researchers aim to commence human trials within the next four years to further assess the treatment’s efficacy and safety.
