An experimental "Trojan-horse" cancer therapy has completely eliminated prostate cancer in experiments on mice, according to UK researchers.
The team hid cancer killing viruses inside the immune system in order to sneak them into a tumour.
Once inside, a study in the journal Cancer Research showed, tens of thousands of viruses were released to kill the cancerous cells.
Using viruses to destroy rapidly growing tumours is an emerging field in cancer therapy, however one of the challenges is getting the viruses deep inside the tumour where they can do the damage.
"The problem is penetration," Prof Claire Lewis from the University of Sheffield told the BBC. She leads a team which uses white blood cells as 'Trojan horses' to deliver the viral punch.
Dr Kate Holmes, head of research at Prostate Cancer UK, said: "It demonstrates that this innovative method of delivering a tumour-killing virus direct to the cancer site is successful at reducing the development of advanced prostate tumours which have been treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
"If this treatment goes on to be successful in human trials, it could mark substantial progress in finding better treatments for men with prostate cancer which has spread to the bone."
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20795977
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