New agent may enhance effectiveness of radiotherapy
Tuesday, May 13, 2014 - 18:31
in Health & Medicine
The potential of a drug to improve the effectiveness of radiotherapy in stopping tumor growth has been demonstrated by scientists. There is increasing interest in using the body’s own immune system to attack tumor cells – a strategy that can be very effective without the side effects associated with conventional chemotherapy. Skin cancers, for instance, have been successfully treated using a topical cream, imiquimod, which recruits immune cells through a molecule known as toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7), a protein that recognizes foreign and potentially harmful material.