Austrian scientists have discovered a method to identify the location and intensity of EpCAM protein, which increases on the surface of tumor cells along with the pathological changes.
This antibody therapy works well especially for breast, kidney, liver and bladder cancers, the scientists said.
Many cancers have a common characteristic: the tumor cells increase certain protein, called EpCAM, on their surface. Scientists have been trying to develop drugs that can effectively attack the cells.
Although a new antibody directed against EpCAM was recently developed and brought to the European market, it is still in the stage of clinical testing. Besides, what kinds of patients should be tested for EpCAM and what kinds of procedures are appropriate for this remains unclear.
Researchers from Oncotyrol, Center for Personalized Cancer Medicine of Innsbruck, Austria said on Friday that they have made progress in this area.
They have analyzed more than 2,000 tissue samples from various tumors and metastases by an analysis method called " Immunnohistochemistry," which can mark relevant proteins by antibody staining.
Through antibody staining, the desired protein in a tissue section as well as its intensity can be detected. Scientists also proved that this antibody therapy works well especially for breast, kidney, liver and bladder cancers.
The Austrian scientists stressed that the immunnohistochemistry analysis is easy of operation, economical and can be done in any pathological institute. They believed that more and more EpCAM antibodies would be developed in the future.
Clearing out the situation of EpCAM protein on the surface of tumor cells of patients will help conduct more targeted antibody therapy for cancer patients, they said.
Antibody therapies can also relieve suffering of cancer patients.
During the usual therapeutic procedure, a large amount of water exists in the abdomen of cancer patients, which often leads to mental stress, pain and shortness of breath. Antibody therapies can avoid the operation of drainage for abdomen by needle puncture and therefore can significantly reduce peritoneal dropsy.
The scientists' findings will be published at the upcoming International Conference for Clinical Oncology in Turin, Italy.
Source: XinhuaSpecial Coverage
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