Article:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.canlet.2019.01.037
Summary:
A genetically modified strain of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S.Typhimurium) is being studied as an anti-tumor agent.
Connections:
Over the last few weeks it seem like the over whelming topic in class is about how bacteria is going to get us, how to we kill it, there are a few good ones but only because the keep the bad ones from taking root, but in a classic cold war style operation these researchers have flipped a strain of bacteria to our side.
Critical Analysis:
When I first read this article I thought it was like something from a science fiction novel but this type of treatments are over 100 years old. William B. Coley was injecting streptococcal into patients over 100 years ago. While I’m not sure exactly why, this type of treatment gave way to expensive cancer fighting drug and radiation treatments. Now this particular case was more successful in lab animals than human trails this approach is making a come back.
Question:
Do you think the answer to killing cancer is bacteria and is just not pursed because there no money in it?
3 Comments for “Bacteria That Target Tumors”
escarpenter
says:Interesting article!! In my opinion, I think that bacteria could be used in so many ways to help with so many different sicknesses. I think learning how to use them in a way that will not 1.) Make things worse and 2.) increase potential resistance would be the best route when using bacteria to combat things like this.
dsbohan
says:This is a very cool article. I hope this study gains way and that more people will pay attention to the science behind it. Cancer is such an issue all over the world, there has to be other treatments available rather than the standard radiation and chemotherapy.
dsbohan
says:I would like to add my answer to your question, I do think money has to do with the currently available treatments for cancer. There is a lot of greed, but there is also a lot of regulations that make it a little more difficult for an alternative treatment to be approved by the FDA. I don’t think it is as simple as greed, I think it is just difficult to even get a new treatment approved to use on humans since there are so many unknowns when relating other animal’s reactions to humans.