“Deathstalker” doesn’t sound like the name of something helpful, particularly given that it’s the name of one of the deadliest scorpions in the world.
But Washington State University researchers have used deathstalker venom to help treat cancer in dogs, the university reported Wednesday.
Specifically, a re-engineered molecule from deathstalker venom acts as “tumor paint,” latching onto malignant tumors and making the diseased tissue glow brightly and distinctly against normal tissues, WSU said in a news release. This helps surgeons remove cancerous cells while leaving healthy ones behind.
“The fluorescent substance prefers tumor cells over normal cells, allowing us to define the borders of where a tumor begins and where it ends,” William Dernell, professor and chair of WSU’s veterinary clinical sciences, said in the release. “We’re always hearing about some new compound that targets tumors. From what we’ve seen, this one really does.”
In the first phase, WSU gave the tumor paint intravenously to 28 pet dogs with cancer. One was a chocolate Lab named Browning, then 10. Using tumor paint and an infrared camera, surgeons were able to remove a large sarcoma on her leg, sparing it from amputation. Browning returned to hunting with her owners in Spokane.
The tumor paint also helped ensure surgeons found and removed all of the malignant cells in Hot Rod, a 10-year-old pit bull mix who had skin cancer nodules removed at WSU, and Whiskey, another pit bull mix who underwent surgery for two large mammary carcinomas nearly two years ago.
Whiskey recently moved to Arizona with owner Terry Dillon and has taken to hunting scorpions.
“I’ve even seen her draw them into her mouth,” Dillon said in the release. “I don’t know how in the world she does it. Or why.”
Information from the dog trials will help with developing the tumor paint for use on people, according to pediatric oncologist Jim Olson, who developed and patented tumor paint at Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. A planned second phase will include cats.
And, in September, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved tumor paint for study in human trials. An estimated 21 people with brain or spine tumors will take part, Olson said in the release.
“I predict that in a decade or so, surgeons will look back and say, ‘I can’t believe we used to remove tumors by only using our eyes, fingers and experience,’” he said. “Those hidden deposits of 200 or so cancer cells? They won’t go undetected.”
Visit seattlepi.com’s home page for more Seattle news. Reach Aubrey Cohen at aubreycohen@seattlepi.com or (206) 448-8362.
from The Big Science Blog http://ift.tt/1skBDc8
“Deathstalker” doesn’t sound like the name of something helpful, particularly given that it’s the name of one of the deadliest scorpions in the world.
But Washington State University researchers have used deathstalker venom to help treat cancer in dogs, the university reported Wednesday.
Specifically, a re-engineered molecule from deathstalker venom acts as “tumor paint,” latching onto malignant tumors and making the diseased tissue glow brightly and distinctly against normal tissues, WSU said in a news release. This helps surgeons remove cancerous cells while leaving healthy ones behind.
“The fluorescent substance prefers tumor cells over normal cells, allowing us to define the borders of where a tumor begins and where it ends,” William Dernell, professor and chair of WSU’s veterinary clinical sciences, said in the release. “We’re always hearing about some new compound that targets tumors. From what we’ve seen, this one really does.”
In the first phase, WSU gave the tumor paint intravenously to 28 pet dogs with cancer. One was a chocolate Lab named Browning, then 10. Using tumor paint and an infrared camera, surgeons were able to remove a large sarcoma on her leg, sparing it from amputation. Browning returned to hunting with her owners in Spokane.
The tumor paint also helped ensure surgeons found and removed all of the malignant cells in Hot Rod, a 10-year-old pit bull mix who had skin cancer nodules removed at WSU, and Whiskey, another pit bull mix who underwent surgery for two large mammary carcinomas nearly two years ago.
Whiskey recently moved to Arizona with owner Terry Dillon and has taken to hunting scorpions.
“I’ve even seen her draw them into her mouth,” Dillon said in the release. “I don’t know how in the world she does it. Or why.”
Information from the dog trials will help with developing the tumor paint for use on people, according to pediatric oncologist Jim Olson, who developed and patented tumor paint at Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. A planned second phase will include cats.
And, in September, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved tumor paint for study in human trials. An estimated 21 people with brain or spine tumors will take part, Olson said in the release.
“I predict that in a decade or so, surgeons will look back and say, ‘I can’t believe we used to remove tumors by only using our eyes, fingers and experience,’” he said. “Those hidden deposits of 200 or so cancer cells? They won’t go undetected.”
Visit seattlepi.com’s home page for more Seattle news. Reach Aubrey Cohen at aubreycohen@seattlepi.com or (206) 448-8362.
from The Big Science Blog http://ift.tt/1skBDc8
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