Science Report
Anti-sense Technology
Research scientists have reported success in using an experimental method
called anti-sense technology to treat people with cancer.
For years, researchers have tested anti-sense technology to treat cancer in humans.
But thisis the first time some cancer patients have improved after getting the treatment.
The findings were reported at the yearly meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.
The conference was held last month in San Francisco, California.
Cancers result from mistakes in genetic information.
Some genes produce large amounts of proteins that help cancers grow.
The experimental treatment targets one of these genes, known as the B-C-L-Two gene.
In some cancer patients, the B-C-L-Two gene produces a protein that protects cancer tumors from traditional anti-cancer drugs.
The antisense treatment prevents the gene from acting.
As a result,the drugs are able to attack cancer tumors.
In the new study, researchers at the University of Vienna in Austria used an anti-sense drug.
The drug was developed by Genta Incorporated,a company based in the American city of Lexington,Massachusetts.
The researchers gave the anti-sense drug and the anticancer drug dacarbazine to fourteen people with advanced melanoma.
Melanoma is a deadly kind of skin cancer.
Earlier, dacarbazine and other anti-cancer treatments had failed to help most of the patients.
However, the combination antisense treatment helped six of the fourteen patients.
There was some improvement in five patients.
In one patient,the cancer disappeared completely.
The researchers said they believe the side effects of the treatment are acceptable.
Some patients experienced changes in skin color,higher than normal body temperature and temporary liver problems.