Injecting Dead Bacteria Into Tumor Treats Cancer

Oct, 2021 - By SMI

A research discovered cancer therapy that uses dead bacteria to help guide the body to attack and kill cancer.

A team of scientists at the Australian National University (ANU) rediscovered a century-old treatment for cancer, injecting dead bacteria into tumors to boost the immune system and shrink cancer. The treatment is said to be economic and non-toxic. According to the scientists, the therapy showed positive results in patients at an ongoing Phase 1 clinical trials at The Canberra Hospital, Australia and it could improve more. Eight patients who are in late-stage of cancer were treated in this trial, in one specific case the treatment was able to significantly improve life quality of the patient.

The Australian scientists reinvestigated Coley’s research where a slow-release solution of mycobacteria is injected into the tumor. The idea behind this was to put immune cells into cancer to attack the bacteria even if they are dead, while attacking dead bacteria, immune cells also attack cancer. As the immune cells grow in number they go around the body, where they attack metastases in other parts of the body. The treatment consists three factors, Mineral Oil, a dead mycobacteria, and an adjuvant Montanide ISA-51. This adjuvant is already in use for various other vaccines to increase immune response. This whole formation is termed as Complete Freund’s Adjuvant (CFA), and was originally created in 1950. The components used in CFA have been approved separately however, the CFA is yet to be approved for treatments.

Furthermore, when tested in different animals including dogs, horses and mice, the research released in the Journal for Immunotherapy of Cancer on September 16, 2021, proved CFA to be safe and effective. Moreover, the data from an ongoing phase 1 trial in humans shows the same results. The team claims, the treatment is low-cost and simple yet needs more work to be used in clinical practices.