Modified virus attacks cancer

BRITISH scientists have engineered a virus that would target and destroy cancer cells while leaving healthy tissue untouched.

Normal cells shut themselves down when they were infected with the virus, but the cancer cells did not. The Cancer Research UK team’s findings are reported in the journal Molecular Therapy.

Viruses infect the body by entering cells undetected and taking control of their machinery. Being able to enter a cell by stealth makes viruses a good tool to carry anti-cancer treatment directly into cancer cells.