A team of scientists has revealed promising hope for turning a deadly African virus into a treatment for childhood cancer. The Zika virus is known as an infection transmitted by mosquitoes, but scientists have disclosed its ability to reduce levels of a protein that is formed in excessive amounts in patients with certain types of cancer.
A research team from Florida demonstrated that, at least in mice, it could eliminate neuroblastoma tumors, which account for one in seven cancer deaths in childhood, occurring in neural cells as children grow. Dr. Matthew Davis from Nemours Children's Health in Florida, who conducted the research, stated that the team is "at the forefront of a potentially life-saving cancer treatment. We hope this study paves the way for improved survival for patients with neuroblastoma."
The Zika virus has been shown to target and reduce the protein, leading to tumor shrinkage. The team studied mice with neuroblastoma tumors expressing high levels of the CD24 protein. Half of the mice were injected with a saline solution, while the remaining mice were injected with the Zika virus. The mice that received the highest dose of Zika completely eliminated their tumors, and after four weeks, they showed no signs of disease recurrence. Meanwhile, the tumors in the mice that received the saline solution grew by as much as 800%.
However, the team cautioned that using Zika as a cancer treatment would require further studies to determine whether the therapy is safe. Scientists plan to conduct additional research before moving on to clinical trials. The study was published in the journal Cancer Research Communications.