A magic jab that kills – and prevents – brain cancer has been developed by scientists.
The new jab provides fresh hope to the thousands of Brits diagnosed with the deadly disease each year.
The new cancer vaccine could help cure and prevent the deadliest form of brain cancer
The treatment works by genetically editing cancer cells and transforming them into cancer killers and vaccines, to stop the disease from recurring.
In experiments, it worked on mice carrying cells derived from humans – mimicking what will happen in patients.
They had the deadliest form of brain cancer called glioblastoma.
The US team described the results as “promising”.
Study author Dr Khalid Shah, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, said: “Using gene engineering, we are repurposing cancer cells to develop a therapeutic that kills tumour cells and stimulates the immune system to both destroy primary tumors and prevent cancer.”
Brain cancer is often incurable.
The norm is to do surgery, treat with harsh drugs – and hope for the best.
Millions of victims have included The Wanted star Tom Parker, President Biden’s son Beau, and author Mary Shelly.
Around 2,500 glioblastoma cases are diagnosed in the UK each year and only seven percent of patients survive.
The jab was safe, applicable and effective in the rodent models, suggesting a roadmap toward therapy.
The strategy may be applicable to a wider range of solid tumours. Further investigations are warranted, said Dr Shah.
