Sickle-shaped blood cells 'may kill cancer cells in mice'

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Northerner

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Misshapen red blood cells could be used as a tool to kill cancer cells in mice, research in the journal Plos One shows.

Sickle-shaped cells can stick together in blood vessels surrounding tumours in mice and block blood flowing to the cancer, researchers says.

The irregularly shaped cells can also deposit toxic residues on the tumour, leading to cancer cell death.

This research focuses on oxygen-poor areas in tumours which have proven difficult to treat in humans.

The US researchers from Duke University and Jenomic, a private research company, gave a fluorescent sickle-cell solution to mice with cancer and watched what happened inside their systems.

Within five minutes the misshapen cells began to stick like 'Velcro' to blood vessels near the oxygen-starved areas of the tumour, Prof Mark Dewhirst co-author of the study, from Duke University, said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20959968

A lot of good news for sick mice this morning! 🙄
 
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