Cancer trigger: Drug forces immune cells to attack prostate cancer
A new drug that could help to fight prostate cancer has been developed by researchers.
The drug, which is still in its early stages, works by stimulating the immune system to recognise and attack cancer cells.
In tests on mice, the drug was found to be effective at targeting and killing prostate cancer cells.
Importantly, the drug did not have any adverse effects on healthy cells, meaning it could potentially offer a more targeted and effective treatment for prostate cancer.
While more research is needed, this new drug could offer a promising new treatment option for men with prostate cancer.
This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article here.
Researchers have found that a drug can help activate the immune system to fight prostate cancer.
The drug, called JSR-11, targets a protein called SIRP-alpha, which is found on the surface of web white blood cells.
SIRP-alpha normally helps to keep the immune system in check, but it is overactive in some cancers, including prostate cancer.
JSR-11 is thought to work by binding to SIRP-alpha and preventing it from interacting with other proteins. This allows the immune system to become more active and attack the cancer cells.
The findings could lead to the development of new treatments for prostate cancer that harness the power of the immune system to fight the disease.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, with around 47,000 new cases diagnosed each year.
Around one in eight men will develop the disease during their lifetime.
The findings come from a study in mice, which will now be tested in human clinical trials.
If the trials are successful, the drug could be available to patients within a few years.
