脊髓灰质炎病毒被用于杀死脑部肿瘤

Polio Virus Used to Kill Brain Tumors 脊髓灰质炎病毒被用于杀死脑部肿瘤

Researchers are using the polio virus to fight cancer cells in the brain.

A team at Duke University is using a polio virus to infect tumor¹ cells. It sets off an immune response that lasts for several months. The tumor goes away permanently².

Dr. Matthias Gromeier began clinical trials more than three years ago. So far, 12 of 20 patients with a type of brain tumor called glioblastoma have responded well to the treatment.

Gromeier said these patients had no chance of survival before the treatment. He added, “If you look at them today, you would not know they were cancer patients.”

This may seem like a miracle cure. But Gromeier pointed³ out that the approach has limits.  

It causes a toxic⁴ reaction that can cause brain swelling⁵. This causes other side effects like muscle weakness and paralysis⁶, seizures⁸, limb swelling and tingling⁹, speech impairment and headaches.

Still, Gromeier said, “I am optimistic that we have identified the right dose and the right way to use our virus to get an immune response strong enough to fight the tumor, but not so strong to harm the patient.”

He called immunotherapy, “the most exciting and most promising¹⁰ development in cancer research.” He said it would one day transform the way tumors are treated.

Glioblastomas, the most common and lethal¹¹ of all brain cancers, affect an estimated 240,000 people around the world per year.

Words in This Story

polio – n. a serious disease that affects the nerves of the spine¹² and often makes a person permanently unable to move particular muscles

tumor – n. a mass of tissue found in or on the body that is made up of abnormal cells

clinical – adj.  relating to or based on work done with real patients; of or relating to the medical treatment that is given to patients in hospitals

glioblastoma – n. tumors that arise from the supportive tissue of the brain. They grow and spread rapidly and are usually cancerous (Source: the American Brain Tumor Association)

paralysis – n. a condition in which you are unable to move or feel all or part of your body

seizure⁷ – n.  an abnormal state in which you become unconscious and your body moves in an uncontrolled and violent way

impairment – n. a condition in which a part of your body is damaged and does not work well

headache – n. a pain in the head

lethal – adj. causing or able to cause death

1 tumor   

n.（肿）瘤，肿块(英)tumour

参考例句：

• He was died of a malignant tumor.他死于恶性肿瘤。
• The surgeons irradiated the tumor.外科医生用X射线照射那个肿瘤。

2 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。

3 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

4 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

5 swelling   

n.肿胀

参考例句：

• Use ice to reduce the swelling. 用冰敷消肿。
• There is a marked swelling of the lymph nodes. 淋巴结处有明显的肿块。

6 paralysis   

n.麻痹(症)；瘫痪(症)

参考例句：

• The paralysis affects his right leg and he can only walk with difficulty.他右腿瘫痪步履维艰。
• The paralysis affects his right leg and he can only walk with difficulty.他右腿瘫痪步履维艰。

7 seizure   

n.没收；占有；抵押

参考例句：

• The seizure of contraband is made by customs.那些走私品是被海关没收的。
• The courts ordered the seizure of all her property.法院下令查封她所有的财产。

8 seizures   

n.起获( seizure的名词复数 )；没收；充公；起获的赃物

参考例句：

• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year. 今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Other causes of unconsciousness predisposing to aspiration lung abscess are convulsive seizures. 造成吸入性肺脓肿昏迷的其他原因，有惊厥发作。 来自辞典例句

9 tingling   

v.有刺痛感( tingle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• My ears are tingling [humming; ringing; singing]. 我耳鸣。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• My tongue is tingling. 舌头发麻。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

11 lethal   

adj.致死的；毁灭性的

参考例句：

• A hammer can be a lethal weapon.铁锤可以是致命的武器。
• She took a lethal amount of poison and died.她服了致命剂量的毒药死了。

12 spine   

n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊

参考例句：

• He broke his spine in a fall from a horse.他从马上跌下摔断了脊梁骨。
• His spine developed a slight curve.他的脊柱有点弯曲。