Antibodies Kill Leukemia, Lymphoma Cells via Lysosomal Toxins

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Antibodies Kill Leukemia, Lymphoma Cells via Lysosomal Toxins

As reported by BBC News. 2009 Jul 21

The antibody approach to cancer treatment is effective because it induces an

immune response, but new discoveries have indicated that antibodies can also

kill cancer cells directly.

Researchers in Great Britain found that leukemia and lymphoma cells are

destroyed when monoclonal antibodies cause lysosomal sacs within the cancer

cells to burst, releasing toxic substances and killing the cells.

This finding identifies the lysosomal pathway as a new mechanism to target

in developing anticancer treatments. Treatments based on this approach may

be particularly useful for hematologic cancers, which are not well

controlled by conventional chemotherapy. The research results were published

in the July 20 online issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

http://www.oncologystat.com/news-and-viewpoints/what_patients_are_reading/Antibo\

dies_Kill_Leukemia_Lymphoma_Cells_via_Lysosomal_Toxins.html