Breakthrough could revolutionise cancer care

Irish scientists have discovered a way to “trick” breast cancer tumours to “destroy themselves” — following four years of groundbreaking research — which could replace chemotherapy within a decade.

Researchers at University College Cork, funded by the Irish Cancer Society and the Cork Cancer Research Centre, have made the significant breakthrough via a radical new form of gene therapy.

As part of the major study, which began in 2008, the research team delivered human genes via a virus into breast cancer tumour cells.