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25 April 2013 09:09
Scientists have made a breakthrough in pancreatic cancer treatment
Scientists have developed radioactive microbes that work like missiles tipped with atomic warheads to treat one of the deadliest forms of cancer. Tests in mice show how the altered bacteria, a weak variety of Listeria that causes food poisoning, almost eradicates pancreatic cancer without causing any harm to healthy tissue.
The bug destroys cancerous cells by blasting them with short, highly targeted radioactive emissions. The tests in mice that had a particularly aggressive form of the cancer saw the spread of the disease decrease dramatically.
Study author Dr Claudia Gravekamp said seeing a 90% reduction in spread of the disease in the opening experiments using the technique was "encouraging".
Dr Gravekamp, from New York's Albert Einstein College of Medicine, said the approach needs more work but it could begin a whole new era in the way pancreatic cancer is treated.
Some 8,400 people are diagnosed with the form of cancer in the UK every year and they are advised to arrange travel insurance for cancer patients to be fully covered when heading abroad.
The findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal.
13 December 2018
Space tourism could move one giant leap closer this week as Virgin Galactic expects to reach "space altitudes" for the first time.
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12 December 2018
If you're worried about piling on the pounds this Christmas, regular home weighing could prevent you from excessive festive eating and drinking.
11 December 2018
Airlines that automatically cancel return flights when passengers fail to show for their outbound journeys are being warned they risk breaking consumer law.
08 December 2018
Providing better conditions for disabled passengers is one of the main aims of a proposed new charter for airlines and airports.
07 December 2018
Women who don't attend cervical screenings should be offered testing kits they can use at home, new research suggests.
06 December 2018
Ryanair could be slapped with enforcement action from the airline regulator after it refused compensation for passengers hit by flight disruption caused by staff taking strike action.
05 December 2018
Protein supplements and muscle training could be the most effective ways to delay or reverse the effects of frailty, a new study suggests.
04 December 2018
Mumford and Sons bassist Ted Dwane has helped create a new exhibition to raise awareness of the loneliness felt by people living with multiple sclerosis (MS).
01 December 2018
A leading charity has praised the actions of Lloyd Russell-Moyle, saying the Labour MP had "done everybody a service" by disclosing his HIV status.
30 November 2018
Sweating out the daily stresses in a sauna could be linked to a reduced risk of death from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in people aged 50 and over, according to a new study.
29 November 2018
Hitting the Copacabana could soon become a more realistic aim for holidaymakers, with Norwegian set to become the first budget airline to operate UK-Brazil flights.
28 November 2018
Holidaymakers on the UK's proposed new high-speed trainline could have their Amazon packages delivered directly to their seat, according to a train manufacturer.