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Harvesting Venom Toxins from Assassin Bugs and Other Heteropteran Insects
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Bugs as Cancer Drugs: Challenges and Opportunities

Phillip J Daschner1, Avraham Rasooly2, Jeffrey D White3

  • 1National Cancer Institute Division of Cancer Biology, Rockville, Maryland, USA.

Molecular and Cellular Biology
|May 16, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Bacterial therapy, an early cancer treatment, was abandoned due to ineffectiveness and harm. Renewed interest and National Cancer Institute funding are driving research into new bacterium-based cancer therapies for challenging conditions.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Microbiology
  • Medical History

Background:

  • Bacterial therapy was the first nonsurgical cancer treatment, introduced in 1891 for solid tumors.
  • It was discontinued due to significant harm and ineffectiveness, overshadowed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
  • Recent advancements in microbial therapies have revitalized interest in this approach.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To address the need for improved targeting of solid tumors.
  • To stimulate research into novel bacterium-based cancer therapies.
  • To explore therapeutic options for conditions where current cancer treatments are insufficient.

Main Methods:

  • Historical review of early bacterial therapy.
  • Analysis of recent progress in microbial therapy development.
  • Examination of National Cancer Institute funding initiatives.

Main Results:

  • Bacterial therapy, though historically significant, faced limitations.
  • Current research is exploring advanced microbial strategies for cancer treatment.
  • The National Cancer Institute is actively supporting new research in this field.

Conclusions:

  • Bacterium-based cancer therapy holds potential for treating solid tumors.
  • Further research is crucial to overcome historical limitations and develop effective microbial treatments.
  • This approach may offer new avenues for patients with inadequate treatment options.
Keywords:
cancermicrobialtherapy

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