Researchers used to call it the “magic bullet,” a drug that
would seek out cancer cells and destroy them while leaving
healthy tissue alone. It’s taking much longer to find that
bullet than scientists first hoped, but they’re getting closer.
For one, researchers have successfully engineered antibodies
that target the workings behind cancer, as well as other
diseases. These drugs home in on diseased cells much more
specifically than chemotherapy and radiation do — but they still
can cause side effects that interfere with treatment. |John C.
Williams| Now, City of Hope researchers and colleagues have
taken a step forward. They’ve developed a strategy to make these
monoclonal antibodies even more effective while lessening their
uncomfortable effects. Some monoclonal antibodies, like Erbitux,
work by blocking activity of a protein called epidermal growth
factor receptor, or EGFR. This protein is key to tumor cells’
survival. But normal, noncancerous cells also use EGFR, making
them vulnerable to the drugs’ effect