Eradication of virus-associated cancer?

[Overstressed]

I didn't find it on the forum, but if it's already mentioned, the admin's can of course remove this. Here's an abstract of the story, and since many struggle with EBV too, this might be interesting:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100412151829.htm

Take care,
OS.

p.s. Admin: please add a question mark to the end of the title of this thread, I have forgotten this...

 

[SpecialK82]

Thanks for posting, this is really interesting. I'll be eagerly awaiting the clinical study, getting the EBV virus when it is active is key.

 

[parvofighter]

Might this work for XMRV?

Overstressed, thanks for posting this. This is really, really interesting. And it's the implcations for treatment of XMRV that just grabbed me. Check this out from your article (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100412151829.htm ):

The study demonstrated that initiating treatment with the anti-cancer drug cyclophosphamide in children with Burkitt lymphoma simultaneously triggered an active EBV infection. The increased replication of EBV in cancer tissue makes these cells more susceptible to the antiviral drugs that kill cells containing replicating virus. Antiviral agents such as ganciclovir and valacyclovir are already in routine clinical use for treating active viral infections.
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Remember how the retrovirologists keep saying that one of the potential challenges in treating XMRV is that it replicates so slowly, and that poses a problem, because antiretrovirals specifically target the various stages of replication? (For a summary on how antiretroviral drugs do this, check out this thread: http://www.forums.aboutmecfs.org/sho...roviruses+work )

Isn't it conceivable that the same kind of approach with cyclophosphamide or other anti-cancer drugs might work to "amp up" an XMRV infection to render it susceptible to antiretrovirals? Kind of like waving your hat on your rifle so the bad guys stand up to shoot you - only you shoot them first?

Now I wanna dig up who makes cyclophosphamide and alert them to a huge market opportunity.:Retro smile:

Gerwyn? Natasa? Rosemary? Others? Is this a cyclophosphamide/EBV analogy a feasible avenue for XMRV?

 

[Kati]

Parvo, I am a chemo nurse, and cyclophosphamide (or commonly called "cyclo") is a very common chemo drug given to lymphoma, leukemia, breast cancer and sarcoma amongst others. It is cytotoxic, which means it kills the cells that reproduce quickly, from gut cells to blood cells and hair cells (depending on the dosage people lose their hair on this drug). In my experience, a reactivation of EBV or other herpes viruses would be dose dependant. Burkitts Lymphoma is a VERY agressive cancer and I suspect patients get a fairly high dose of cyclo. It is available in IV and pill forms, and can be quite toxic to the bladder especially at high doses.

Of note, it certainly would need to be researched a lot before this becomes available to patients with ME/CFS due to toxicity.

 

[parvofighter]

Thanks Kati

Thanks Kati, and a boneheaded move on my part not to do the obvious again - ask the chemo nurse! Getting monthly IV therapy tomorrow - hopefully that'll clear out the cobwebs (usually does).:Retro smile:

 

[Overstressed]

[/I][/INDENT]Remember how the retrovirologists keep saying that one of the potential challenges in treating XMRV is that it replicates so slowly, and that poses a problem, because antiretrovirals specifically target the various stages of replication?

Well, I'm a bit angry because some of these folks told other things, like the virus being a weak virus, a funny virus because of it's lack of evolution, totally not comparable to HIV. Many CFS-people really got the wrong impression about this virus.

Now, to me, it looks very much like the HTLV-virus. Not only because of the fact that it replicates so slowly, it causes neuro immune disease. I don't share the optimism of some researchers...

Look at the problem with HIV, the big problem is how to attack the pro-virus, and more importantly, where to attack. With 'where' they mean, where are the hiding reservoirs to attack the virus. Same might be true for XMRV, and there is no drug, yet, to attack these reservoirs. They first need to be identified. So, XMRV might be really an invisible enemy...

But, to end a little optimistic, maybe there are opportunities to treat herpes-viruses like CMV, EBV, HHV6, a.o., because I really think XMRV and other viruses co-operate.

OS.

 

[JillBohr]

there is some evidence suggesting that long term acyclovir may rid the body of even latent ebv. they have found that antibodies levels drop after a long time on the drug; also, a virologist told me this might be the case.

Ladybugmandy, is there a link to this anywhere? There is a discussion regarding acyclovir die-off with some parents of children with autism and I would love to link them to this. Thank you.