Researchers are using the polio virus to fight cancer cells in the brain.
研究人员正在利用脊髓灰质炎病毒来对抗大脑中的癌细胞。
A team at Duke University is using a polio virus to infect tumor cells. It sets off an immune response that lasts for several months. The tumor goes away permanently.
杜克大学的一个研究小组正在使用脊髓灰质炎病毒感染肿瘤细胞，这会激起了一种持续数月的免疫反应，肿瘤永久地消失了。
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.
马蒂亚斯·格罗默耶（Matthias Gromeier）博士三年前开始了临床试验。到目前为止，20位患有恶性胶质瘤的脑瘤患者中有12位对这种治疗反应良好。
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."
格罗默耶表示，这些患者在治疗前已经没有生存机会。他补充说，“如果你今天看到他们，你都不会知道他们是癌症患者。”
This may seem like a miracle cure. But Gromeier pointed out that the approach has limits.
这似乎是一种奇迹疗法。但是格罗默耶指出这种疗法有局限性。
It causes a toxic reaction that can cause brain swelling. This causes other side effects like muscle weakness and paralysis, seizures, limb swelling and tingling, speech impairment and headaches.
它引起的毒性反应会导致大脑肿胀，这会导致肌肉无力及麻痹、抽搐、肢体肿胀和刺痛感、语言障碍以及头痛等其它副作用。
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."
然而格罗默耶表示，“我很乐观地认为我们已经确定了合适的剂量和方法来利用这种病毒获得足以对抗脑瘤却又不足以伤害病人的免疫反应。”
He called immunotherapy, "the most exciting and most promising development in cancer research." He said it would one day transform the way tumors are treated.
他称免疫疗法是癌症研究中最令人兴奋和最有前途的成果。他说，它终有一天会改变肿瘤的治疗方法。
Glioblastomas, the most common and lethal of all brain cancers, affect an estimated 240,000 people around the world per year.
恶性胶质瘤是所有脑瘤中最为常见和致命的一种，预计它每年影响着全球24万人。
I'm Mary Gotschall.
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