Cancer occurs when biological errors cause the normal body cells to begin to multiply out of control. The survival rate of cancer patients usually depends on how early the cancer was diagnosed. Some forms of cancers are very difficult to diagnose and will produce no marked symptoms until they have reached the advanced stage. A common example of cancers that are difficult to diagnose is pancreatic cancer which is usually diagnosed at the third or fourth stage.
Virotherapy For The Treatment Of Cancer
The use of a virus for the treatment of cancer and other diseases has been widely explored by scientists. The process is called virotherapy. When viruses attack cells, they seize the cell’s replicative mechanism for the production of new virus particles eventually leading to the death of the cell. Zika virus is one of the viruses that was recently explored to have the potential to fight the deadliest and aggressive form of brain cancer called glioblastoma.
The Relationship Between Zika Virus And Brain Cancer
If the current research scales through to human trials, it would be one of the classical cases of turning foes to a friend. Zika virus is dreaded because it attacks fetus cerebral cortex leading to microcephaly (small heads) in babies. Glioblastoma, on the other hand, Is an aggressive malignant cancer that affects the brain. Since the Zika virus destroys brain cells and cancer causes uncontrolled cell multiplication, it sounds logical enough to try to use zika virus to attack and kill brain cancer.