It is hoped it could make radiotherapy safer for people with cancer and could also be used in the event of a "dirty bomb" or nuclear disaster. Known as CBLB502, and so far tested in animals, it switches on a biological mechanism that helps healthy cells survive blasts of radiation.
The findings published in Science are set to be tested in clinical trials. Radiation kills cells by causing damage which encourages cell suicide, or apoptosis. But healthy cells may be killed alongside tumour cells in the process which is why radiologists need to target the tumour as specifically as possible.
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