Scientists have reported that a new approach to fight cancer has been found to be hugely successful on mice. In this approach biodegradable polymer implant is used to teach the immune system of the body to attack tumors. The minute implant which is placed under patient’s skin releases antigens specific to the cancerous tumor, thereby reprogramming the body’s immune system to attack and destroy the cancerous cells.

In a recent publication of Science Translational Medicine journal, the scientists have reported that the performance of these implants is satisfactory in eradicating melanoma skin cancer tumors in the mice. David J. Mooney, the leader of the study, also a working professor of Bioengineering in the Harvard’s School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, says that with this method, the power of applying engineering elements to immunology has been shown.

The new implants made up of plastic seem to be less cumbersome and more effective than injectable vaccines for cancer that are presently under clinical experimentation. In injectable vaccines, immune cells from a person’s body are removed, they are reprogrammed for attacking the nasty tissues and then returned back to the body through injections. But it has been shown in experiments that over 90% of these cells get was destroyed even before they can have any effect on the person’s body.

Mooney’s group develops the implants that are made up of FDA approved biodegradable polymer which releases cytokines, a powerful employers of immune system messengers termed as dendritic cells. The dendritic cells enter into the implant where they get exposed to the antigens which are specified to the kind of cancer tumor under target. Then, these cells report to the nearby lymph nodes, where the T cells of the immune system are directed to locate and destroy the tumor cells.

Mooney says that the implants can be inserted under the person’s skin anywhere, similar to the implantable contraceptives that are placed in a lady’s arm. These implants activate the immune response which works to destroy the tumor cells. Mooney’s study was not aimed at curing melanoma in mice, although complete regression of distant and established melanoma tumors was observed by the researchers. Researchers believe that their study shows the success of implantable vaccines and thus provides a basis for the design new vaccine in future.

In the last few years, a lot of research had been conducted in the field of cancer vaccines. Researchers believe that the approach is more beneficial over chemotherapy and conventional cancer surgery, since it only target cancer cells and no other tissues are damaged in the process. It is even hoped that these vaccines may generate a permanent resistance from the cancerous cells, thus providing long-lasting protection against re-occurrence.

According to Mooney, these implant based vaccines generate several kinds of dendritic cells which direct the immune system to create a potent anti-tumor response. He says that this method can down-regulate the destruction made by the tumor and at the same time up-regulate the immune system.

It has been confirmed by scientists that comfort food is extremely successful in reducing stress and depression. Margaret Morris, the Professor of Pharmacology, says that eating foods that are rich in sugar and fats may change the brain’s chemical composition, thus providing relief to stress.

A recent study conducted on rats by Prof Morris, from University of NSW School of Medical Sciences, shown that the effects of past trauma can be eliminated through intake of delectable food items.

Prof Morris told the AAP that the anxiety of the rats was reversed with this kind of diet, taking them back to their non-stressed state of mind. The reasons for this are still not known but there may be some biochemical links.

Initially, the research had different groups of baby rats. Rats from one group were exposed to normal contact with their mothers while those in the other group had to face separation for long periods of time. Rats that had more traumas in their early lives were seen to have higher stress hormone levels and lesser steroid receptors in the section of their brain that controls behavior. The signs of anxiety and depression were seen to disappear among the rats that were switched to junk food diets at later stages of their lives.

The control group did not have any effect from the diet, but the animals under stress had a deficit which was compensated by this kind of diet. The diet seems to have an affect on the neurogenesis, in the same way as anti-depressants promote growth of nerves in the brain.

Prof Morris warned that while the results of the study were not transferable to people immediately. It showed support to the therapeutic value of the comfort food and showed explanations of others patterns of the human behavior.

She said that if people are asked about what they usually eat while they are stress, they will tell you that they eat more cakes, chocolates and sweets and less fruits, vegetables and fishes. In addition to that, it is also usually found that people who had traumatic experiences in their childhood tend to be over-weight as adults.

Prof Morris said that this study should not be considered as a supporter of consuming junk food. If this is done, people will be exposed to more serious health related problems. Researches in the future will aims at determining whether other beneficial activities, like exercising, also have similar stress relieving affects on the brains of the rats and human.