Lung cancer causes many deaths in the United States. Scientists need better treatments because cancer often stops responding to standard drugs. Researchers at the Stony Brook Cancer Center created a new therapy.
The new medicine combines a natural tumor-suppressing molecule with a common chemotherapy drug. This treatment is called Gem-miR-129. Researchers tested it on laboratory mice.
The tests showed great results. The tumors in the mice shrank by more than 95 percent, and the mice lived longer. Also, the medicine caused no noticeable toxic side effects. The research team now wants to do more safety studies before testing the treatment in humans.
Difficult words
- treatment — Medical care given to a patient for an illness.treatments
- researcher — A person who studies something carefully to find new facts.Researchers
- medicine — A substance used to cure or treat a disease.
- tumor — An abnormal mass of tissue that grows in the body.tumors
- safety — The state of being safe from harm or danger.
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Why do scientists need to develop better treatments for lung cancer?
- What are the next steps for the research team before testing the medicine in humans?
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