That said, there is still no cure for polio. That’s why most of us have been vaccinated.
So just what does brain cancer have to do with polio?
Glioblastomas are some of the deadliest brain cancers. According to the American Brain Tumor Association, “Glioblastomas (GBM) are tumors that arise from astrocytes -- the star-shaped cells that make up the ‘glue-like,’ or supportive tissue of the brain. These tumors are usually highly malignant (cancerous) because the cells reproduce quickly, and they are supported by a large network of blood vessels.”
The ABTA reports the survival time for adults with this type of brain cancer as just 14.6 months to three years depending upon the type.
This is where polio meets cancer. And polio may have an edge. Years of research have become a reality.
Researchers at Duke University’s Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center are injecting a genetically engineered poliovirus called PVS-RIPO directly into brain tumors in an attempt to kill cancer cells. This approach has shown potential in a small study.
“We achieved this feat by genetic engineering to remove poliovirus’ inherent disease-causing ability (a piece of genetic code of a cold-causing rhinovirus…spliced into the poliovirus genome),” reports the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center.
Though the concept of killing cancer with viruses is said to have been around for nearly a century, technology has changed the game. That’s why the use of oncolytic (cancer-fighting) viruses has not emerged until recent times.