Mice study shows promise against final stages of terminal cancer

A study from the California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute in San Francisco has shown promise against the final, metastatic stages of terminal cancer.

Unusually, the antibody targets healthy tissue, not tumour cells, suggesting normal cells play an unwitting role in terminal cancers, reports New Scientist.

By blocking access to the receptor on healthy cells, the antibody halted further growth of tumour cells in mice; some tumours even got smaller. It also stopped the weight loss, muscle atrophy and fatigue that characterises terminal cancer.

Robert Debs and his colleagues found that the antibody stopped the growth of secondary tumours from breast, lung, colon and melanoma cancers in mice. But it didn't work against earlier, less-aggressive stages of cancer, suggesting it disrupts a process common only to the final stages of major cancers.

"We suspect the antibody will be effective in significantly prolonging life,” said Debs.

"Further testing and refinement is needed to establish the value of this as a potential treatment, but it is very encouraging."

The study has been published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.