Development of full tumor outside the body a breakthrough in
cancer research
From: CHINA VIEW
March 30, 2007 21:21 Beijing TimeFont Size: Print Email to Friends
Comment (0)
SHANGHAI, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Using a patented laboratory device,
Chinese scientists have for the first time grown cancer tumors
outside the body which they say will lead to a new generation of
cancer treatments.
Liu Hua, visiting professor with Zhongshan Hospital in
Shanghai,says scientists have for years been able to grow cancer
cells in a lab but have never been able to reproduce a living
cancer tumor.
Liu called the breakthrough a milestone in cancer research that
will lead to the development of a new generation of cancer
treatments using biological medicines that have virtually no side
effects. Someday it may help scientists develop actual cancer
vaccines.
Liu has been asked to deliver a paper to the American Association
of Cancer Researchers in Los Angles in mid-April.
"I expect the paper will generate a lot of positive and interesting
reaction," said Liu.
The doctor of internal medicine says he has shown scientists in
Beijing and Shanghai the tumor he has grown.
"They are very excited about it. Some have worked 30 or 40 years
and have never seen a tumor outside the body. They agree it's a
milestone in cancer research."
Liu says drug companies and researchers often find that the
treatments they develop using a simple culture of cancer cells,
don't work well on the tumor itself. it has always been awkward to
test on patients or lab animals that have been cancer induced. Now
they will be able to work with a complete, three dimensional tumor
and examine how it reacts, metastasize or grows when treated in
different ways.
"Compared with conventional breeding systems we can continuously
observe the behavior of a tumor. It is difficult to observe
metastasis in a patient," Liu said.
Liu says working with an actual cancer tumor will make it possible
to design patient-specific treatment regimens that are far less
toxic than conventional treatments such a chemotherapy
http://www.jongonews.com/articles/07/0330/10850/MTA4NTAMpPAxkaK.html
http://www.china.org.cn/english/China/205514.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-03/30/content_5917526.htm