A genetically-engineered virus tested in 30 terminally-ill liver cancer patients significantly prolonged their lives, killing tumours and inhibiting the growth of new ones, scientists reported.
一種測試於30名末期肝癌病患的基因工程改造病毒，明顯延長他們的生命、殺死腫瘤、並抑制新腫瘤的生長，科學家報告說。
Sixteen patients given a high dose of the therapy survived for 14.1 months on average, compared to 6.7 months for the 14 who got the low dose.
16名施以高劑量治療的病患平均存活14.1個月，相較於14名獲低劑量治療者的6.7個月。
"For the first time in medical history we have shown that a genetically-engineered virus can improve survival of cancer patients," study co-author David Kirn said.
「這是醫學史上我們首度顯示，基改病毒能延長癌症患者的生命，」該研究共同撰文者大衛．柯恩說。
The four-week trial with the vaccine Pexa-Vec or JX-594, reported in the journal Nature Medicine, may hold promise for the treatment of advanced solid tumours.
這項報告於「自然醫學」期刊、針對疫苗Pexa-Vec或稱JX-594進行的4週實驗，或許給末期固體性腫瘤的治療帶來希望。
Pexa-Vec "is designed to multiply in and subsequently destroy cancer cells, while at the same time making the patients’ own immune defence system attack cancer cells also," said Kirn from California-based biotherapy company Jennerex.
Pexa-Vec「被設計在癌細胞內繁殖，接著摧毀癌細胞，同時也使患者自身的免疫防衛系統攻擊癌細胞，」來自總部設於加州的生物治療公司Jennerex的柯恩說。
Pexa-Vec has been engineered from the vaccinia virus, which has been used as a vaccine for decades, including in the eradication of smallpox. （AFP）
Pexa-Vec是從基因改造牛痘病毒而來，數十年來該病毒被用作疫苗，包括用於根絕天花。（法新社）
新聞辭典
inhibit︰動詞，抑制、約束。例句︰His strict upbringing inhibited him from asking questions.（他所受的嚴格教養使他怯於發問。）
hold promise︰片語／慣用語，有希望、有潛力。例句︰The new drug holds promise for helping to control addiction.（這款新藥可望協助控制上癮。）
advanced︰形容詞，先進的、年邁的、後階段的。例句︰The night is well advanced.（夜已深了。）
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