New Drug May Protect Healthy Cells From Cancer Radiation Damage

Buffalo, NY (AHN) - Scientists have discovered a new drug that could protect cancer patients' healthy cells to be protected during radiation therapy or help victims of radiation exposure.

Mice and monkeys exposed to normally-lethal doses of radiation treatment have lived longer after being injected with the drug CBLB502.

Radiotherapy is used to kill cancer-infected cells through radiation. However, the treatment also kills healthy cells surrounding the cancer-affected area through a biological suicide mechanism, or apoptosis. The biological suicide is a reaction activated by the body in order to stop the multiplication of damaged DNA and cells. Radiotherapists must balance targeting too much radiation at the risk of killing healthy cells or protecting the healthy cells but possibly not wiping out all of the cancer.

But CBLB502 worked by shutting down the suicidal capability of the healthy cell, while the tumor cells seemingly remained unprotected. This prompted the radiation treatment to only affect the tumor cells in the animals' bodies and the healthy cells were able the withstand the radiation.

Further tests and study would have to be made to make the drug temporary and reversible. But oncologists are now enthusiastic at the breakthrough for the scientific community which will allow future patients and cancer victims to have minimized side effects and higher chances of survival.