Stem cells to fight brain cancer

Scientists from Harvard Medical School have discovered a way of turning stem cells into killing machines to fight brain cancer. In experiments on mice, the stem cells were genetically engineered to produce and secrete toxins which kill brain tumors, without killing normal cells. Researchers said the next stage was to test the procedure in humans. Stem cell experts says this is the future of cancer treatment. They do not have any risk to normal, healthy cells. In animal tests, the stem cells were surrounded in gel and placed at the site of the brain tumor and when they were removed cancer cells were found dead as they had no defence against toxins. Cancer-killing toxins have been used with great success in a variety of blood cancers, but they don’t work in solid tumors because the cancers weren’t accessible and the toxins have a short half-life. But so far the technique has only been tested in mice and on cancer cells in the lab, so much more work is required to be done before we’ll know if it could help patients with brain tumors.