Radiation Protection Drug

Researchers at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center may have found a drug that can protect people from radiation poisoning. The drug has been successfully trailed in rodents and looks like it may be able to revolutionize cancer treatment. It may even help protect people who are in jeopardy of developing radiation poisoning that can come from working in an environment where they may be exposed to large doses of radiation. The drug has been labeled as PQ (pharmacological quiescence) and stops enzymes responsible for cell division in their tracks. Although the drug has not been tested on human subjects as yet, the likelihood of it being successful is quite high.

The drug is relatively non-toxic. It is also touted as being effective after the subject has received a dose of radiation. It is fair to suggest that it may help reduce the risks associated with radiotherapy which is often risky due to the potential danger of radiation poisoning. A lot of the time radiotherapy can make the patient exceedingly sick before the patient is able to start recovering from the cancer that radiotherapy is attempting to do battle with. In this regard, PQ can be considered something that will help a lot of people overcome cancer in the long term. Radiotherapy has cost people their lives because the radiation has made them too sick to continue treatment without further risk to the patient’s health.

There is no word on when human trials will begin as yet. It is likely to be soon however in order to get the drug approved for use as soon as possible. It is a relatively cheap drug to produce and will help countless people overcome cancer despite the fact that it is not attacking the cancer. It will enable treatment to continue for those most susceptible to radiation poisoning.