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Could COVID-19 be the key to cancer treatment? Here’s what the study says
A new study led by Justin Stebbing at Anglia Ruskin University suggests that severe COVID-19 infection may produce specialized monocytes with anti-cancer properties. These cells, mimicked in laboratory experiments, successfully shrunk tumors in mice, providing new insights into cancer treatment and the potential of immune response-based therapies.
Could COVID-19 be the key to cancer treatment? Here’s what the study says (Image credit: iStock)
after four years COVID-19 While wreaking havoc on lives and health care systems around the world, a surprising potential benefit has emerged. A new study led by Justin Stebbing at Anglia Ruskin University suggests that this virus, which is notorious for its deadly impact, may also hold promise in combating it. cancer,
The study highlights the role of monocytes, a type of white blood cell important in the body’s defense mechanism. In cancer patients, these cells are often hijacked by tumor cells, becoming allies that protect the tumor from the immune system.
However, severe COVID-19 infection triggers the production of a special type of monocyte with anti-cancer properties. These monocytes are designed to fight viruses but also display the ability to attack cancer cells.
To test this phenomenon, researchers conducted experiments on mice with advanced-stage cancers, including melanoma, lung, breast and colon cancer. Mice were treated with a drug that mimics the immune system’s response to severe COVID-19 infections. Monocytes retained their cancer-fighting ability to target and shrink tumors in all cancer types tested.
Implications for cancer treatment
This study opens new avenues for cancer research, especially in immunotherapy. While current immunotherapy focuses primarily on T cells, this research emphasizes the untapped potential of monocytes in cancer treatment.
“These findings suggest a new direction for targeting tumor cells through the immune system,” the researchers said.
However, the study does not advocate intentionally exposing yourself to COVID-19. Instead, it highlights the potential to replicate the immune response seen in serious infections to develop novel treatments.
One step forward in cancer research
This study not only highlights the complex relationship between cancer and the immune system, but also offers hope for new treatments. By harnessing the cancer-fighting properties of monocytes, researchers may unlock new strategies to combat one of the world’s deadliest diseases.
While much work remains to translate these findings into clinical treatments, the study underscores the unpredictable ways in which medical research evolves. COVID-19, whose devastating impact was once feared, may pave the way for life-saving cancer treatments in the future.
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