Tests on mice show that a hormonal antibody inhibits the growth of turnours, giving rise to hopes for a vaccine to treat lung cancer.
SCIENTISTS say a vaccine for human
lung cancers may be ready soon,
allowing a therapeutic cure for the
disease. Lung cancer is characterised
by an abnormal production of hormones, particularly the human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG).
Malignancy is indicated by high lev
els of HCG and successful surgery in
lung cancer is usually marked by low
levels of the hormone.
G P Talwar, director of the
National Institute of Immunology,
New Delhi, his colleague Sanjeev
Kumar and Debajit K Biswas from
the Harvard School of Dental
Medicine in Boston conducted tests
on mice using a serum containing
anti-HCG antibodies and found it
reduced the levels of the hormone
(journal of the National Cancer
Institute, Vol 84, No 1). The experiments were conducted on a cultured
cell line that secretes large amounts
of a sub-unit of HCG. The cultured
cell unit induced tumour growth in
the mice.
When the antibody serum was
administered, the scientists found
tumour growth was inhibited and
prevented. Tests confirmed that the
reducing effect was caused by the
antibody alone. Experiments also
showed the withdrawal of the antibody led to renewed tumour growth.
Another confirmation of the specificity of the antibody treatment was
its ineffectiveness when administered to combat tumour growth
induced by-non-HCG producing
tumour cells.
The HCG hormone is also synthesized during the early stages of pregnancy. Vaccines that induce the formation of anti-HCG antibodies are
currently under clinical trials studying their antifertility activity. The
scientists say if a role for the HCG
sub-unit in tumour formation is
established, a similar therapeutic
approach for the treatment of lung
cancer may be feasible in the near
future.
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