Ever thought that a substance that is one of the major causes of cancerdefine can actually help in treating the deadly disease? Researchers from Stanford University in California are saying exactly the same. A new study suggests that the tobacco plant can offer the means to treat lymphoma, a form of cancer.
The idea is to use the tobacco plants as reservoirs for an antibody chemical which is similar to the cells that cause follicular B-cell lymphoma. These antibodies can then be put into a patient who has been recently diagnosed with the disease. The antibodies can help the immune systemdefine get prepared to attack any cell carrying them.
If this procedure works then, the lymphoma cells can actually be destroyed after being recognised by the body. UK specialists said that the new research is really exciting but a lot more work needs to be done in order to know how the vaccine actually works.
Scientists have earlier also attempted to grow these antibodies inside animal cells. But the success rate has not been 100%.
But if a vaccine is developed from the tobacco plant then it will be cheaper and the risk involved with the patient could be lessened to a large extent. This is so because animal cells might hold unknown viruses harmful for the human beings.
Dr. Ronald Levy, who is leading the research said, “Its pretty cool technology- and it’s really ironic that you would make a treatment for cancerdefine out of tobacco. That appealed to me.”
He further elaborated that the technology used actually helps to extract the gene responsible for producing the antibody from the cells of the cancer patient. This gene is added to the “tobacco mosaic virus”. The added gene produces large quantities of antibody in the injected plant.
A spokesman for Cancer Research UK said “While these results could potentially be very exciting, this was a small and early-stage trial and it did not look at whether this vaccination strategy reduced the size of the tumours.”
New Delhi, November 4 -- The relentless rampage of the current H1N1 monster shows no sign of abating with two more succumbing to the lethal virus Tuesday, taking the total number of fatalities in the nation to 477.
We seeks happiness even as it continues to elude many of us. However, the fact is that if we focus our attention on other things and not strive for happiness itself, we will experience this emotion more often.
You have just met your Mr. Right and with all your womanly intuition you feel that he is the one you have been waiting for. You are excited, can`t stop smiling and your cheeks turn red the moment he enters.
Disclaimer: The views and ideas expressed by medical experts on themedguru.com are their own, and not that of the website or its management. TheMedGuru advises users to check with their certified experts for their healthcare needs.
The comments and views posted by readers are their own and not that of the website or its management. Please see our 'Terms of Service' for details.
Post new comment