New approaches in treating colon cancer include so-called biological therapies, such as artificial antibodies and tumor vaccines.
Antibodies are proteins produced by the immune system in tiny amounts to fight infection. Scientists are now able to make large amounts of a single antibody. Antibodies made with this technique are known as monoclonal antibodies(MOABs). MOABs are used in cancer treatment to target cancer cells; they may also be attached to a radioactive or toxic "payload" that they can deliver directly to the tumor. A MOAB that targets a molecule found on the surface of colon cancer cells called 17-1A is currently undergoing clinical trials.
Tumor vaccines employ fragments of tumor cells along with an immune-system stimulant to encourage the body's immune system to attack cancer, and a number of trials investigating vaccines against colon cancer are underway.
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