Considering the positive effect multivitamins could have on your genes, it's not surprising that scientists may have found a unique way to battle lung cancer, with the help of an inhalable gene therapy spray, according to a new study.

Korean researchers compared the effectiveness of such gene therapy on groups of rats that were treated with the spray drug twice daily for four weeks (targeting the Akt signaling pathway that's responsible for 90 percent of cell carcinomas), versus those that received no spray or a non-spray version of the drug.

No only did the mice given the inhalable spray have smaller and fewer tumors, scientists found signs of apoptosis, the process of programmed cell death needed to create healthy tissues and the reduced production of some proteins contributing to the growth of cancer cells.

No doubt, there will be great interest in the progress of this unusual treatment, considering lung cancer tops the list of deaths blamed on cancer worldwide. Moreover, Americans pay more than $9 billion annually to treat lung cancer with therapies that mostly offer spotty relief and are usually ineffective in advanced stages.

American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Vol. 179, No. 12, p. 1131-1140, June 15, 2009

Medical News Today June 17, 2009

healthfinder.gov June 15, 2009

Image source: National Cancer Institute