Researchers use a modified type of influenza virus to develop new treatments for prostate cancer



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Scientists at Queen Mary University in London have received a grant from Prostate Cancer UK, a leading charity for men's health, as London continues to lead the way in advanced prostate cancer research .

Six separate grants worth more than £ 2.5 million were awarded in London as part of the charity's Research Innovation Awards program, which funds ambitious and ambitious research proposals from across the UK, challenging the status quo.

Dr. Gunnel Hallden is leading one of the pioneering studies at Queen Mary. He relies on previous work funded by Prostate Cancer UK, in which Dr. Hallden has developed a modified type of influenza virus that specifically infects and kills cancer cells, leaving noncancerous cells unaffected.

"Our first study was very effective when the virus was injected directly into cancer cells in mice and used with standard chemotherapy drugs, but we wanted to find a way to transmit it through the blood, so that it can reach all the tumors of the body at the same time, instead of being injected into one.

"It has been difficult in the past, but by" wrapping "the virus with special proteins to protect it during its transit through the blood, we hope that the virus will survive long enough to reach the tumors. modify the virus to give it the ability to alert the patient's immune system about prostate cancer so that his own body can continue to fight the disease.

"Thanks to generous grants from Prostate Cancer UK, we hope to soon be able to offer a new treatment to men with incurable prostate cancer, which will improve their longevity and quality of life."

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and the disease kills a man every 45 minutes in the UK, reaching more than 11,500 men each year.

Matthew Hobbs, director of research at Prostate Cancer UK, said: "Prostate cancer is expected to become the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK by 2030, and every year more than 9,000 men receive a diagnosis of prostate cancer too late to be treated.

"That's why we're funding innovative research like this for the benefit of men diagnosed at a later stage of the disease, by funding these six extremely exciting research projects in three different institutions to help tame cancer." prostate.

"Prostate Cancer UK is committed to taming this disease and we have the focus and expertise to help us achieve that goal, but funding the best research such as these six projects requires funding. London Walk for Men – one of our series of mbad-participation walks held this summer in the UK – the only walk in London has raised an incredible half a million pounds in both Recent years to fund vital research would like to ask you to put your boots back for an even bigger march, even better in 2019. "

In an effort to increase its fundraising, Prostate Cancer UK launched three March for Men walks in 2017 to raise much-needed funds for research.

Two years later, Prostate Cancer UK's March for Men series includes rides in London, Manchester, Nottingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool and Glasgow – and more will be announced shortly. To date, 6,300 walkers have raised more than £ 825,000 in funding to prevent prostate cancer from killing.

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