Breakthrough in science: Cancer treatment to be done using bacteria
Adelaide (The Uttam Hindu): It is said that iron cuts iron. Based on this principle, scientists have long been researching treatments for deadly diseases like cancer. Several studies have shown that bacteria can play an effective role in cancer treatment.
Scientists are working to develop bacteria that can deliver drugs to cancer cells. These drugs will weaken the cancer cells, allowing the body's immune system to destroy them. To this end, the bacteria's DNA is also being modified.
Scientists Josephine Wright and Suzanne Woods of the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute have shed light on these unique anti-cancer bacteria. They describe them as a new class of "living medicines." They say that while more research is needed, in the future, programmable bacteria may be created that can automatically identify dangerous tumors as they travel through the body.
Cancer tumors often respond to conventional medications because they cannot reach them. Furthermore, tumors can weaken the body's immune system, reducing the effectiveness of treatment. Some tumors even develop drug resistance, rendering treatment ineffective.
Specific types of bacteria may prove helpful in overcoming these challenges. They activate the immune system. A bacterium called *Mycobacterium bovis* is being used to this end.
Scientists say some bacteria have a remarkable ability—they can recognize and grow in tumors that form in the body's internal organs and tissues. They do not harm healthy tissue. Tumors create an ideal environment for bacteria, where they can feed on dead cells, survive in low oxygen, and remain protected in the absence of the immune system.
These bacteria are being used in clinical trials in combination with immunotherapy and chemotherapy. They are also being used to develop cancer vaccines. These bacteria recognize specific antigens, or fingerprints, of tumors that the immune system can destroy. To do this, the bacteria are engineered—their harmful DNA is removed and genes are inserted that produce cancer antigens.
Scientists are now working on bacteria that are equipped with drugs that can penetrate tumors and destroy them. This creates a dual attack on tumors—from the inside and the outside. Some bacteria self-destruct after releasing the drug, while others have been engineered to release substances that boost the immune system or activate other treatments when needed.