Virus-cure, ray of hope week before Nat’l Breast Cancer Summit

A week before the Philippines’ first Breast Cancer Summit convenes in Cebu City, half a world away, US medical researchers have found a virus that kills breast cancer cells in laboratory tests. An unaltered form of adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV2) – a non-disease-causing virus that infects humans – was tested and found to have successfully targeted all three different tissue samples representing different stages of human breast cancer, the Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) College of Medicine announced in a report posted Sept. 23 (Manila time) on the university’s official website. "Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in the world and is the leading cause of cancer-related death in women," the report cited Dr. Samina Alam, the research associate in microbiology and immunology who led the study’s five other co-authors. The 2010 Philippine Cancer Facts and Estimates reported that among Filipinos, the breast is the number one cancer site with an estimated 12,262 cases for every 100,000 population – representing 28 percent of Filipino women diagnosed with breast cancer. In 2010, an estimated 4,371 deaths resulted from breast cancer, making it the third leading cause of cancer deaths among both sexes and the highest among women. AAV2 also kills other cancer cells A paper on the Penn State research study appeared recently in the journal Molecular Cancer. Penn State professor Dr. Craig Meyers said their study showed that “AAV2, as a single entity, targets all different grades of breast cancer." "We can see the virus is killing the cancer cells, but how is it doing it?" the report cited Alam as saying. "If we can determine which viral genes are being used, we may be able to introduce those genes into a therapeutic. If we can determine which pathways the virus is triggering, we can then screen new drugs that target those pathways. Or we may simply be able to use the virus itself." Researchers used a naturally occurring version of AAV2 on human breast cancer cells. The same team also found out in earlier studies that AAV2 promotes tumor cell death in cervical cancer cells infected with human papillomavirus, and kills cells derived from prostate cancer, methoselioma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. The researchers have filed for a US patent on their work. Breast Cancer Summit in Cebu City The C-Network, in cooperation with the Philippine Society of Medical Oncology (PSMO), will hold a special one-day breast cancer summit called “HER Knowledge, HER Empowerment" on October 1 at the Cebu City Sports Club, Cardinal Rosales Avenue, Cebu Business Park, Cebu City. A forum with leading oncologists as resource speakers, led by PSMO President Dr. Dennis Tudtud, will be held at the summit. The discussion will focus on early diagnosis and a better understanding of the role of genetic predisposition to foster a better understanding of the disease. The summit will also feature lifestyle, nutrition, and exercise programs, as well as free breast cancer screenings to participants that include members of Cebu’s patient support groups and beneficiary members of Cebu communities. This event is made possible with the support of the GMA Kapuso Foundation, GMA Cebu, Roche Philippines, Perpetual Succour Hospital, Epson Philippines Corporation, Philippine Racing Commission, ICanServe Cebu and the Rotary Club of Cebu Fuente. — RSJ, GMA News