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The anti-tuberculosis vaccine - according to research - is effective in the treatment of some types of cancer, including cancer of the urinary system. On the other hand, its effectiveness in the fight against tuberculosis is decreasing. Doctors warn that there will be more people suffering from tuberculosis.
Tuberculosis vaccine as a cure for cancer
Sometimes scientists accidentally discover that such a pharmaceutical can do a whole new role. This is what happened with the famousvaccineBCG anti-tuberculosis.
It was invented 80 years ago and since then it is the only vaccine used in the world for the prevention of tuberculosis. However, more and more scientists believe that it is losing its effectiveness. Why? The bacteria used to produce it have lost some of their genes, including those that induce an immune response in the human body.
- If we are to win againsttuberculosis , we need improved vaccines. And although the results of preclinical studies are promising, there is still a lot to do, says Prof. Paul-Henri Lambert from the Center for Vaccinology at the University of Geneva. "In any case, the current BCG vaccine is insufficient," he adds.
However, it turned out to be extremely effective in the treatment of certain types of cancer, especially of the urinary system. Scientists have found that the immune response it produces causes cancer cells to become so confused that they become stupid and self-destruct. This is especially how cells of the bladder surface cancer react.
In many countries, the BCG vaccine has earned a reputation as a "golden mean" in urology, with "golden" being used here to mean "very effective."
In this research is currently underway on new uses of the anti-tuberculosis vaccine in the treatment of other types of cancercancer .
And tuberculosis is still dangerous
Meanwhile, doctors warn that there may be more people suffering from tuberculosis. The number of infected is growing every year. In addition, further price increases will certainly increase the group of undernourished people, and thus with a weakened immune system. Such an organism is a haven for tuberculosis. - Unfortunately, it still cannot be underestimated - reminds prof. Jan Skokowski, pulmonologist and oncologist. "It's an extremely insidious disease, and the bacteria that cause it, called mycobacteria or bacilli, are very hardy." In favorable conditionsUnder conditions for themselves, without access to light, in soil or dust, they can survive for up to several years, she warns.
It is worth knowing that tuberculosis can be contracted for the second or even third time. It depends on the body's resistance. Therefore, someone who has been ill before should strictly follow the doctor's instructions and lead a lifestyle that does not weaken the immune system. A diet rich in nutrients is particularly important.
Tuberculosis is still diagnosed mainly on the basis of the tuberculin test result - a negative one indicates that the examined person has never had contact with mycobacterium or that the immunity after vaccination has expired. Therefore, the tuberculin test is also useful in the diagnosis and assessment of the progress of the disease treatment.
Today, doctors also have other, more modern diagnostic methods at their disposal. For example, the BACTEC technique, which detects the fatty acids of mycobacteria and allows for earlier results. There is also a very reliable PCR technique, i.e. polymerase chain reaction, which allows to detect the genetic material of mycobacteria in the sputum or tissues of the examined person within just a few hours.