The Zika Virus harmful as it negatively impacts the brain and body development of babies. However, the findings of a new study from two U.S. medical schools suggest that the virus can be used in treating adult Brain Cancer. The new study also suggests that the deadly virus has the capability of killing specific cancerous cells in an adult brain.
Zika virus shrinks tumor in adult mice brain
For the purpose of the study, the experiment conducted showed that destructive cancerous tumors in fully grown mice shrunk after the Zika virus was injected into the brain.
It was also seen that while the virus targeted the cancerous tumors, the other healthy Brain Cells remained undamaged and were not infected by the Zika virus.
While there is still a long road to go before the treatment can be tested on humans, the researchers are of the belief that the otherwise deadly virus has the potential to eliminate life threatening brain tumors in the adult brain. The detailed findings of the study were published in the “Journal of Experimental Medicine.” It reveals that this new treatment has been effective on human cell samples in the laboratory.
Potential new treatment for brain cancer?
If the Zika virus treatment for brain cancer works effectively for humans, it could be used to cure different types of brain cancer such as Glioblastomas.
This brain cancer is the most commonly occurring type amongst its type and is very difficult to treat. The fast growing nature of the Glioblastomas makes it difficult for the doctors to differentiate between the cancerous brain cells and the healthy brain cells, which proves to be a hurdle in the path of treatment. While chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy are often used to treat these cancers they are not enough to cure them completely.
The latest study, which used donated human cells and living mice with brain tumors, discovered that the Zika virus worked effectively and eliminated the cancerous cells which put up resistance during the other forms of treatments.
Researchers are of the view that a baby’s brain is full of healthy stem cells which are different from one another.
This might be the reason why the virus affects the infants so dangerously. Adult brain cells, on the other hand, contain very few stem cells which don't provide the Zika an option to destroy them. This is why they target only cancerous brain cells without causing much damage to healthy cells that remain unaffected.
