WASHINGTON -- conduct scientists t...

WASHINGTON -- conduct scientists turned regular blood small rooms into tumor attackers that wiped not at home all signs of cancer in couple men with advanced melanoma. The striking finding, unveiled Thursday, marks an important stair in the quest for gene therapy for cancer.

yet the genetically altered cells didn't help 15 other melanoma victims. with equal reason scientists are trying to strengthen the projectiles

Still, the National Cancer Institute called its experiment the first real succes in cancer gene therapy -- because it fought cancer's worst stage, when it has spread by means of the body, unlike earlier attempts that targeted single tumors.

And the rule hopes to soon begin testing the gene therapy in small numbers of patients dying from more belonging to all cancers, such as advanced breast or colon cancer.

The expectancy is that one day, like treatment might provide long- lasting tumor suppression.

"It's not like chemotherapy or radiation, where as shortly as you're done, you're done," said lead researcher Dr Steven Rosenberg, the NCI's surgery chief. "We're giving living confined apartments which continue to grow and function in the body"

'CUR FOR NOW'

The first sum of two units successful patients appear melanoma-free almost sum of two units years after infusions of tumor fighters made from their allow blood. Doctors can't predict in what way the men will fare long-term Melanoma, the in the greatest degree aggressive skin cancer and killer of almost 8000 Americans a year, is notorious for returning years after patients think they've subdu it.

"I'm cur for now," is to what extent a grateful Mark Origer, 53 of Watertown, Wis., offer it after a checkup from NCI doctors this week. "I know by what mode fortunate I am to have gone between the walls of this and responded to this. Not everybody's that lucky"

Cancer specialists praised the work, published Thursday at the journal Science, but warned that years of additional research are straited

"Clearly this is a first step" cautioned Dr Len Lichtenfeld of the American Cancer Society. "We have to be surpassingly cautious about not raising faiths too much."

if it were not that "it is exciting," he added. "It certainly is a test of concept that this approach will work."

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

Provided on ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved