Japanese Scientists Pioneer Novel Skin Cancer Treatment

(MENAFN) Scientists from the University of Tokyo and Shinshu University have pioneered a novel skin cancer treatment utilizing a genetically engineered virus, according to a report by a public broadcaster on Thursday.

This innovative cancer "viral therapy" targets malignant cells by employing a modified virus that selectively replicates within cancerous tissues, sparing healthy cells in patients with skin cancer.

Professor Todo Toshiki of the University of Tokyo led the study, focusing on individuals diagnosed with an aggressive form of skin cancer to assess the therapy’s potential applicability to other cancer types.

The findings revealed that 77.8% of participants—seven out of nine patients—showed improvement when the viral therapy was combined with standard treatments, underscoring the critical role of integrating these approaches.

No severe side effects have been observed so far, and the research team plans to expand testing to nine additional patients to further confirm the treatment’s safety and effectiveness.

Todo emphasized the therapy’s promise as an alternative for patients unresponsive to traditional methods.

Todo added that if this therapy proves effective across multiple cancer types, it has the potential to "fundamentally change cancer treatment."

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