Bad Infections Can Block Growth of Tumors, Study Finds

Serious infections can retard or even halt the growth of tumors by blocking the growth of blood vessels necessary for nourishing the cancers, according to researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. The findings, reported in the May 15 Journal of Immunology, suggest that infected animals might be a new source of angiogenesis inhibitors, the team said. Scientists had previously believed that infections stimulated the immune system, which then attacked tumors as well. But the researchers found tumor growth was blocked even in animals with severely weakened immune systems. Angiogenesis inhibitors--which block the growth of new blood vessels--are thought to offer a promising approach for cancer therapy because they attack many different types of cancer and have few side effects.

--Compiled by Times medical writer Thomas H. Maugh II