Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery linking Covid to cancer regression, potentially opening new avenues of treatment.
Researchers at Northwest Medicine Thoracic Canning Institute discovered that the virus that causes Covid can trigger the development of special immune cells capable of attacking and destroying cancerous tissue.
The surprising findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, suggest the same virus that caused global devastation may hold the key to fight against different types of cancer.
“It’s incredible, and it’s a big surprise, that the same infection that caused so much damage can help create a cell that fights cancer,” said Dr. Ankit Bharat, chief of thoracic surgery at Northwestern University.
Researchers from the Northwest Medicine Division of Thoracic Surgery have made a breakthrough
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RNA molecules from the SARS-CoV-2 virus have been found to create special immune cells known as “inducible non-classical monocytes” or I-NCMs.
“We found that the same cells activated by severe Covid-19 could be induced by a drug to fight cancer, and we specifically observed a response in melanoma, lung, breast and colon cancer in the study,” explained Dr. Bharat.
These specialized cells have shown particular promise in the treatment of cancers resistant to current therapies. In preliminary tests using animal models, the compound reduced tumors by 60 to 70 percent.
“What makes these cells so special is their dual capabilities,” explained Dr. Bharat. “Typically, immune cells called nonclassical monocytes patrol blood vessels looking for threats. But they cannot penetrate the tumor site itself due to the lack of specific receptors.
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Covid restrictions were introduced in March 2020GETTYI-NCMs created during Covid retain a unique receptor called CCR2, allowing them to directly infiltrate tumors. Once inside the tumor environment, these special cells release chemicals that recruit the body’s natural killer cells.
These killer cells then invade the tumor and begin attacking the cancer cells, helping to shrink the cancerous tissue. Although the results are very promising, the researchers emphasize that the research is still in its early stages, with effectiveness having only been studied in animal models.
“Although this is still in its early stages, it provides hope that we can use this approach to benefit patients with advanced cancers who have not responded to other treatments,” Bharat said.
The next crucial step will be to conduct clinical trials to test whether these findings can safely help cancer patients. More research is needed before the treatment can be used in clinical settings, with trials likely years away.
Testing on the project remains years away
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Research has specifically demonstrated its effectiveness against several major types of cancer, including melanoma, lung cancer, breast cancer, and colon cancer.
What makes this discovery particularly unique is that only the Covid RNA virus has shown this ability to fight tumors. Other RNA viruses, such as influenza, do not trigger the same anti-cancer immune response.
The findings could potentially open a new avenue for cancer patients who have exhausted traditional treatment methods, offering hope where conventional therapies have failed.