Tumors need blood in order to survive; blood provides nutrients critical for growth and proliferationRefers to cell division. The proliferation rate is an indicator of how quickly a tumor is growing. The proliferation rate may be represented as a percentage, showing what fraction of the cells are actively involved in the division process.. For this reason many cancer treatments have been developed to target blood vessel growth (angiogenesisThe formation of blood vessels. This process is required for a tumor to grow past a small size since the blood delivers nutrients to the cells in the tumor mass.). Unfortunately, the available drugs are only partially effective.
Researchers from Switzerland and the UK have developed a new way of attacking tumor blood vessels that seems to be more effective than existing therapies. The researchers used an antibodyAntibody molecules tightly bind to their targets (usually proteins) with great specificity. Antibody binding alerts the immune system to target the bound molecule for destruction. Specific antibodies can be made in the laboratory. targeted against a proteinOne of the four basic types of biomolecule. Proteins are polymers made up of strings of amino acids. Proteins serve many functions in organisms including transport of molecules, structure, cell adhesion and as signaling molecules such as hormones. Many transcription factors, including p53 and Rb are proteins. in the tumor vessels. They modified the antibody by attaching a chemical that can kill cancer cells when it is exposed to light of a specific type. The treatment was very effective in mouse models and should be particularly useful for cancers of the skin, that allow for exposure to the required light.
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