Japan announced a new method of treating esophageal cancer

Okayama University, Japan, has published the results of a new treatment study for esophageal cancer patients, with a specific virus that destroys cancer cells.

The research team, led by Professor Fujiwara Toshiyoshi and Okayama University's gastroenterology professors, has been experimenting and curing for the total of 7 patients in this therapy.

It is expected that this new treatment will be licensed for use by 2020.

The specific virus is made from a virus that causes a common cold with genetic modification. The virus only infects cancer cells, then destroys these cells themselves, causing few side effects.

Treatment of cancer with viruses is being paid special attention by the medical community.

If the virus infects other normal cells, it will be destroyed.

In addition, if the new treatment method is combined with radiotherapy, the effectiveness of cancer treatment is expected to be quite high.

The research team conducted clinical treatment from 2013-2015, for 7 patients with esophageal cancer, aged between 50-90 years old.

According to this new treatment, patients do not need surgery, instead, the special virus is injected directly into the tumor three times through endoscopy, combining radiotherapy for six weeks.

As a result, four patients with cancer cells were completely removed, one was very few, one was progressing well and the other only had no significant changes.

The research team will propose Japanese medical and pharmaceutical equipment to continue conducting clinical trials this year.

In recent years, the treatment of cancer by viruses has been paid special attention by the medical community. In 2015, the US approved the use of genetically modified herpes virus - a virus that can infect and cause skin sores, to treat skin cancer.