A recent study led by researchers from Nemours Children’s Health has found that injecting neuroblastoma tumors with the Zika virus can shrink or eliminate these tumors in mice, indicating that the virus may potentially be used as an effective cancer therapy. The study, published in Cancer Research Communications, offers hope for the treatment of this rare childhood cancer that affects the sympathetic nervous system or the adrenal glands.
Neuroblastoma, although rare, is responsible for around 6% of childhood cancer diagnoses in the United States. However, high-risk neuroblastoma accounts for 15% of childhood cancer deaths and poses a significant challenge as more than half of patients do not respond to existing treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation.
In recent years, scientists have discovered that the Zika virus, known for causing serious birth defects in pregnant women, can potentially target and kill cancer cells by attacking a developmental protein called CD24. This finding has opened the door for exploring Zika virus as a potential treatment for certain cancers, including neuroblastoma.
To investigate this further, the researchers conducted experiments on mice with neuroblastoma tumors that expressed high levels of CD24. Half of the mice were injected with a saline solution, while the other half received the Zika virus. Tumor sizes were closely monitored three times a week.
The results of the study revealed that all mice treated with the Zika virus experienced a significant reduction in tumor size, with the highest dosage completely eliminating the tumor. This finding was confirmed by an independent pathologist. Importantly, there were no instances of tumor recurrence over the four-week follow-up period, and the mice did not show any symptoms of Zika virus infection or adverse effects.
To determine the potential impact of Zika virus treatment on human patients, the researchers developed mouse models that mimicked human neuroblastoma tumors. These tumor models were treated with either the Zika virus or a saline solution. After 28 days, tumors treated with the saline solution had grown by up to 800%, while those treated with the Zika virus had shrunk to approximately 12% of their original mass. No further tumor growth was detected after an additional four weeks, suggesting that Zika virus treatment could significantly improve survival rates for patients with neuroblastoma.
Despite these promising results, the researchers emphasized that extensive further studies are required to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Zika virus as a cancer therapy. Additional research is underway, including testing Zika virus treatment in mouse adrenal glands with growing neuroblastoma, which mimics the most common location of the tumor in humans. If further validated, Zika virus could serve as a highly effective bridge therapy for high-risk neuroblastoma patients, and potentially even for individuals with other cancers expressing high levels of CD24.
Dr. Tamarah Westmoreland, the senior author of the study, commented on the significance of these findings, stating that Zika virus treatment could potentially provide a much-needed solution for patients with neuroblastoma who do not respond well to current treatments. Dr. Matthew M. Davis, Executive Vice-President and Chief Scientific Officer of Nemours, expressed hope that this study could pave the way for improved survival rates among neuroblastoma patients.
It is important to note that the use of Zika virus as a cancer therapy would require extensive testing in clinical trials and approval by regulatory authorities such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration before it can be used in routine medical practice. Nonetheless, this research offers a promising avenue for further exploration and potential breakthroughs in the treatment of childhood neuroblastoma.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
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