User:Cap'n Refsmmat/ScienceNews/January 6, 2005

New hope for patients with brain tumors
A new drug has been proved to double the median survival rate of brain cancer patients. The problem is, brain cancer is different from other cancerss: tiny tentacles of cancerous cells spread through the brain, making physical removal impossible. Normal drugs cannot eliminate the tumor easily, and there aren't many other options.

That's where IL-3 comes in. IL-3 is a new drug which kills the cells quickly and without harming normal, unharmed cells. IL-3 is admitted into the cells via receptors which are typically only on immune system cells, and not on any brain cells. Then the drug destroys the cancerous cell, quickly and easily removing the tumor.

Because IL-3 is too large to get to the brain through the blood, it is pumped into the patients brains via catheter (ouch). The patients are awake, and can walk around with the drug on an IV stand.

Studies show that the drug doubles the median survival rate to about 44 weeks, and 35% of patients had their tumours reduce in size or disappear completely. Several are still living, three years later.

I say, good luck to the patients!