Bee, snake and scorpion venom could be used to fight cancer

Bee, snake and scorpion venom could be used in fight against cancer after trials showed that the toxins can kill tumours. Researchers have found the poison contained in insect stings or reptile bites kills breast and skin cancer cells in the lab.  And they have managed to encase the venom in a tiny particle which stops the poison leaking into the blood and harming the patient.

Dr Dipanjan Pan, of the University of Illinois, said: “We have safely used venom toxins in tiny nanometer-sized particles to treat breast cancer and melanoma cells in the laboratory. These particles, which are camouflaged from the immune system, take the toxin directly to the cancer cells, sparing normal tissue.  The peptide toxins we made are so tightly packed within the nanoparticle that they don't leach out when exposed to the bloodstream and cause side effects.”

Venom from snakes, bees and scorpions contains proteins and peptides which can attach to the walls of cancer cells.  But it can also damage the heart and nerve cells and cause bleeding under the skin

“The main point is how we can control their potency. They are potent and that is why they are deadly,” added Dr Pan.  “If we can use that power in our favour that would be wonderful.”

The team identified a substance in bee venom called melittin that keeps the cancer cells from multiplying.

Bees make so little venom that it us not feasible to extract it and separate out the substance time after time for lab testing or for later clinical use so they synthesized melittin in the lab.

The team believes that venom from snakes or scorpions, will also work well in the nanoparticles as a possible cancer therapy.  They are hoping to begin human trials within three to five years.  The research was presented at the National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in San Francisco.

Ben_Reilly wrote:Amazing, especially the discovery that allows them to "sheath" the poison cells and target only cancerous tissue ...

Ben_Reilly wrote:Amazing, especially the discovery that allows them to "sheath" the poison cells and target only cancerous tissue ...

Sassy wrote:

Ben_Reilly wrote:Amazing, especially the discovery that allows them to "sheath" the poison cells and target only cancerous tissue ...

Combined with the leaps they are making in gene therapy, in a few years time chemo might be absolute.   Come the day.

eddie wrote:

Sassy wrote:

Combined with the leaps they are making in gene therapy, in a few years time chemo might be absolute.   Come the day.

I hope that chemo is chucked in the bin.
It's poison and it kills people.

NOW you're a fucking oncologist ! (h/f and VoD will love this !)     

I'd like to see cancer eradicated off the face of this earth, it has taken and disabled too many people x

Lone Wolf wrote: 

AMAZING that this report turns up in a rag as unreliable as the Telegraph...

I'M always a bit dubious about seeing scientific and medical "breakthroughs" first in newspapers rather than 'peer reviewed' journals..    

MAKES me often wonder if they're still chasing research funding.

Raggamuffin wrote:The best way to target cancer is to target the immune cells which are aiding the tumours IMO.
Umm what? Immune cells don't aid cancer tumors   
they don't detect them because they are 'biologically' part of the cancer patient, Immune cell only target cells that it deems to be NOT part of the person/lifeform/host, Cancer cells fall in the grey part in between, where they are our cells just mutated in away that is detrimental to our health. Part of the reason for the increase in cancer is that we live longer and our cell constantly regenerate and over time the 'blue print' for cells deteriorates (a.k.a aging) all it takes is one cell blueprint to deteriorate in a way that creates a cell that doesn't function but contains 'close enough' to the correct DNA that the Immune System says it is 'part of you' and you have a tumor. Cancer (generally there are different ones in bone/blood cancers, it is a broad an complex disease) is a cell that also has enough 'correct' genetic material to be able to replicate itself (something cells constantly do) the 'aggressiveness' of a cancer is at least partially related to the replication versus death rate of the cells. the Worst case scenarios the cells Don't die and replicate quickly and the fact bowel cancer is one of the most aggressive cancers is quite likely related to the fact bowel cells replicate rapidly by nature to cope with digestion

Oh, and not all chemical treatment is chemotherapy.
No but using Chemicals to destroy cells is, the third option is surgery to remove cells,
Treatment of cancer in some way, shape or form involves the removal of the affected cells

veya_victaous wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:The best way to target cancer is to target the immune cells which are aiding the tumours IMO.
Umm what? Immune cells don't aid cancer tumors   
they don't detect them because they are 'biologically' part of the cancer patient, Immune cell only target cells that it deems to be NOT part of the person/lifeform/host, Cancer cells fall in the grey part in between, where they are our cells just mutated in away that is detrimental to our health. Part of the reason for the increase in cancer is that we live longer and our cell constantly regenerate and over time the 'blue print' for cells deteriorates (a.k.a aging) all it takes is one cell blueprint to deteriorate in a way that creates a cell that doesn't function but contains 'close enough' to the correct DNA that the Immune System says it is 'part of you' and you have a tumor. Cancer (generally there are different ones in bone/blood cancers, it is a broad an complex disease) is a cell that also has enough 'correct' genetic material to be able to replicate itself (something cells constantly do) the 'aggressiveness' of a cancer is at least partially related to the replication versus death rate of the cells. the Worst case scenarios the cells Don't die and replicate quickly and the fact bowel cancer is one of the most aggressive cancers is quite likely related to the fact bowel cells replicate rapidly by nature to cope with digestion

Oh, and not all chemical treatment is chemotherapy.
No but using Chemicals to destroy cells is, the third option is surgery to remove cells,
Treatment of cancer in some way, shape or form involves the removal of the affected cells