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Thursday, January 9, 2014

By Rob Sutter


Brain tumors are, in my opinion, some of the most important ailments to consider. Glioblastoma is regarded as one of the more serious conditions that the body can show and I do not think that anyone can argue with just how detrimental this can be. This is especially true when you consider that procedures are seen in order to bring this down. That being said, what are immune cells and how can they come into effect for the sake of potential tumor removal in the long term?

According to an article posted on Medical News Today, there has been a lot of attention brought to immune cells, which have been deactivated in brain tumors. However, a study has been put into place thanks to the University of Calgary's Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Southern Alberta Cancer Research Institute. While there have been therapies done in the past, which organizations the likes of Voices against Brain Cancer can attest to, have all of them proved effective? It's hard to say, especially when the median survival rate stands at around 15 months or so.

What is it about these immune cells in regards to tumors in particular? The report went into detail about how microglia in the body could be put to use for the sake of helping the body prevent instances of injury of infection. Simply put, the cells in question come together to work as the brain's immune system, for lack of a better term. The way that they are able to operate is to detect stem cells that can play into tumor growth and eliminate them before development begins.

There was a study spoken about in the report and there were many details about immune cells and how they would be able to relate to the tumors seen in the brain. A particular drug called amphotericin B was utilized in order to help bring microglia back to an active taste. It is an especially potent drug when you consider the impact that it had in regards to fungal infections, not only in the brain but the spinal cord as well. This is important to keep in mind, especially when results have been especially strong.

With this drug being put to use on a day to say basis, the mice that were utilized were able to see halted growth in terms of their tumors. The fact that the drug in question was able to help their natural defense mechanisms is a point that, in my opinion, cannot be overlooked. For quite some time, commonly utilized therapies in this field have not exactly been the most worthwhile. To me, though, I believe that it's because of these new findings that those who are afflicted will be helped that much more.




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