 |  |  | | | CANTERBURY CASH BOOST FOR LEUKAEMIA | | | | |
| |  Dr Peter Nicholls
Release Date: 2nd March 2004
Pioneering cancer scientists from Canterbury have today been awarded £55,000 by Leukaemia Research to push forward their work developing a novel treatment for acute myeloid leukaemia.
Dr Philip Blower from the Kent and Canterbury Hospital and Dr Peter Nicholls from the University of Kent will test the potent radioisotope (astatine-211), which can safely be delivered directly to cancer cells using an antibody they have developed ¾ specifically a special missile laden with a devastating cargo that only binds to the leukaemia cells.
Dr Blower, said: "One of the main problems with current chemotherapy is that it not only kills cancer cells but can harm healthy cells in the process. If we can minimise the damage to healthy cells, we can offer patients larger, more effective doses to safely treat their leukaemia."
Acute myeloid leukaemia is a common form of leukaemia in adults, affecting 1,950 adults in the UK each year. "This new grant from Leukaemia Research will enable us to determine whether our technique would be a safe and effective treatment for this disease," Dr Blower adds.
The life-saving properties of cancer drugs can unfortunately often cause patients a number of distressing side effects such as nausea, vomiting, hair loss and skin problems.
Dr David Grant, Scientific Director, said: "Harmful side effects are a reoccurring problem for patients. The more we learn about how treatments can be targeted specifically at leukaemia cells, the less patients will have to endure the distressing effects that accompany them."
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