Could a Cold Virus Attack Brain Cancer?
TUESDAY, May 6 (HealthScoutNews) — The common cold virus may turn out to be the most potent weapon yet against deadly brain tumors. The results of a study using a modified adenovirus, which is often responsible for garden-variety sniffles and sneezing, are so promising that the National Cancer Institute plans to produce a version of the virus that it could test in humans as early as next year. Other experts, however, urge caution when interpreting the findings. “This is something that is interesting, that has potential, but it has a long way to go from this type of experiment into saying that this is going to have a definite application for the treatment of patients,” says Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, a spokesman for the Cancer Control Science Division of the American Cancer Society. “Scientists and researchers have been very interested in the concept of adapting viruses to cancer treatment and with all of the excitement around them, we still don’t have a definite example of something that’s
