'Suicide' gene therapy kills prostate cancer cells

[Northerner]

A new gene therapy technique is able to modify prostate cancer cells so that a patient's body attacks and kills them, US scientists have discovered.

The technique causes the tumour cells in the body to self-destruct, giving it the name 'suicide gene therapy'.

Their research found a 20% improvement in survival in patients with prostate cancer five years after treatment.

A cancer expert said more research was needed to judge its effectiveness.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK with more than 41,000 diagnosed each year.

The study, led by researchers from Houston Methodist Hospital in Texas, appears to show that this 'suicide gene therapy', when combined with radiotherapy, could be a promising treatment for prostate cancer in the future.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-35072747

 

[robert@fm]

Sounds like a radical new treatment. 🙂 Let's hope it trumps previous therapies...

 

[trophywench]

Ah - but at what stage had these men been given radiography - were they men who for whatever reason couldn't or wouldn't have the op, or are they blokes who had the op but it recurred?

Thing is - if you opt for it, whereas they believe an op would sort it in one fell swoop - you thereafter can't have it surgically removed at all because the radiog. damages the cells around the prostate and/or elsewhere in that area so they have to resort to other things.

Very complicated subject actually, as me and my husband have recently been discovering .......

 

[Northerner]

Ah - but at what stage had these men been given radiography - were they men who for whatever reason couldn't or wouldn't have the op, or are they blokes who had the op but it recurred?

Thing is - if you opt for it, whereas they believe an op would sort it in one fell swoop - you thereafter can't have it surgically removed at all because the radiog. damages the cells around the prostate and/or elsewhere in that area so they have to resort to other things.

Very complicated subject actually, as me and my husband have recently been discovering .......

Hope Pete is doing well Jenny.

 

[trophywench]

He is, thanks Alan. Just waiting for post-op lab results .......