Article originally posted by 9News on Dec 16, 2024.
Scientists are using molecules found in creepy crawlies to fight untreatable melanoma.
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Bacteria-fighting peptides in creatures like the Japanese horseshoe crab and Brazilian tarantula are being copied and tested to see if they can fight cancer cells without impacting healthy cells.
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Nothing is extracted from the spiders or crabs – the peptides are simply copied and created in a lab.
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“We found they are very potent against melanoma,” researcher Sonia Henriques told 9News.
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Melanoma is the most serious kind of skin cancer.
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According to the Cancer Council, one in 17 Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer by the age of 85.
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And in some cases, skin cancer cells can change to withstand the therapy a patient is undergoing.
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However, researchers believe there is no way for the cancer to build defences to these peptides.
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A new treatment could still be years away with more testing and clinical trials to be conducted.