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Therapeutics

Bacterial treatment for cancer

Nature Reviews Cancer volume 14, page 648 (2014)Cite this article

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A new study by Roberts and colleagues has shown that intratumoural injection of an attenuated version of Clostridium novyi bacteria can reduce tumour volume in several preclinical animal models as well as in one human.

C. novyi can induce tumour cell lysis, is very sensitive to oxygen levels and thrives in hypoxic environments, such as those often found in advanced solid tumours, but does not grow in normoxic environments, such as those typically found in normal tissue. Roberts et al. hypothesized that these characteristics would make it an ideal therapy for tumours that cannot be removed surgically, such as gliomas.

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References

  1. Roberts, N. J. et al. Intratumoral injection of Clostridium novyi-NT spores induces antitumor responses. Sci. Transl Med. 6, 249ra111 (2014)

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  1. Isabel Lokody
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Lokody, I. Bacterial treatment for cancer. Nat Rev Cancer 14, 648 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrc3827

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