TB vaccine shrinks liver cancer tumors in mice (Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC))

Medical Xpress / UC Davis / Advanced Science ^ | Feb. 21, 2024 | Nadine A Yehya / Farzam Vaziri et al

[ConservativeMind]

A study found that a single dose of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), the vaccine for tuberculosis (TB), reduced liver tumor burden and extended the survival of mice with liver cancer. The study is the first to show the promising effects of the vaccine in treating liver cancer.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer.

BCG, the century-old TB vaccine, is considered safe and widely used around the world.

BCG is also known to boost the body's immunity. The U.S. FDA has approved it for the treatment of bladder cancer. Yet, the potential effect of BCG in treating solid tumors, such as those of liver cancer, remained unknown.

The new study showed that one dose of BCG delivered under the skin reduced tissue scarring (fibrosis), improved liver function, lowered liver lipid, and shrunk the tumor.

"HCC is very difficult to treat," said Wan. "We had a good reason to believe that the BCG vaccine could stimulate an immune response. So, we gave a dose of BCG to mice with liver cancer, and to our surprise, it was enough to activate the body's immune system and reduce tumor load."

The researchers gave a BCG dose under the skin to mice with liver cancer. This is the same way the BCG vaccine is given to humans. They found that BCG reduced inflammation and promoted the work of immune T cells. It specifically allowed the infiltration of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and M1 macrophages into the tumor.

"We discovered that BCG treatment resulted in the movement of T cells and macrophages to the tumor. It also activated the body's immunity and enhanced IFN-γ signaling, which contributes to an anti-HCC effect," Wan said.

Macrophages are white blood cells that can fight cancer. BCG induced IFN-γ signaling, resulting in cancer cell death.

[ConservativeMind]

This could be an easy adjunct to anyone with liver cancer. I know multiple people who have had this vaccine, without issue.

It certainly doesn’t seem it would hurt liver cancer patients.

[ConservativeMind]

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[Gene Eric]

But not because of all the TB infected invaders... lol

Are you completely Agenda centric?

[BlackVeil]

That old and traditional TB vaccine is still used in Japan and is said to be the reason why Covid never took off there - it may be partial protection against it.

[whitney69]

I’ve seen so many vaccine successes in mice in my time that I, maybe, should consider a diet of vaccinated mice. After all, why take the vaccines if you can enjoy a meal with select wines at the same time. Not a lot worse than escargot (snails) or caviar, (fish eggs). And they call them upscale dining. Why not mouse?

wy69

[telescope115]

Interesting. TB vaccine to help fight liver cancer. Who knew….

Thanks for all your tireless efforts and great posts!

[nagant]

Scientists are discovering more and more anti-pathogen drugs which suppress different cancers. Either cancers and pathogens share cellular pathways or cancers are related to pathogens in some ways.

[Bob434]

Great news. Would be awesome news if it treated pancreatic cancer.

[vetvetdoug]

I used BCG injections into sarcoids and melanomas in horses with success over thirty years ago. BCG was used by Koch in the late 1800’s and documented many of its positive effects.