News of an effective anti-cancer virus developed in South Korea is extremely welcome.
When injected into cancerous tumors, the virus quickly multiplies in the cancer cells and kills them, the team said.The new adenovirus can target only cancer cells and does not harm normal cells, the team said.
Existing viral treatments fail to kill off all the cancerous cells.
"I believe we have found a way to overcome one of the great obstacles to finding a genetically altered viral cure for cancer," Yun Chae-Ok, one of the researchers, told AFP on Thursday.
Following three rounds of injections, more than 90 percent of cancer cells in the brains, liver, lungs and womb of mice disappeared within 60 days, the team said.
Human trials are next, and then more years of development, but the research sounds very promising. Unfortunately, a cure for cancer will mostly affect those who are already beyond childbearing age, so although it would cause a percentage increase in population due to longevity, it probably wouldn't increase the birthrate in dwindling Western nations.
