After the Corona vaccine, Biotech developed a special treatment for cancer that affects men

According to the CEO of Biotech, the first drug, if all the ongoing clinical trials are successful, will be ready by 2027. It is a drug that treats testicular cancer.

The German company "BioNTech", which is famous for developing vaccines against the emerging corona virus with messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, will soon launch drugs that treat cancer based on the same technology, specifically cancer that affects men, so what are the details?

This news came in a statement by its Chairman of the Board of Directors Helmuth Giglie to the newspaper "Augsburger Allgemeine" in its issue issued last Saturday (February 19, 2022), which was reported by Deutsche Welle.

The Corona vaccine gave the German company Biontech - which it developed with the American company "Pfizer" - a global reputation. It is remarkable that Biontech's original interest was in developing treatments for cancer or producing a vaccine against this disease using messenger RNA technology, and it seems that few steps separate it from this goal.

Before the emergence of the Corona epidemic, the German company's interest was focused on developing an anti-tumor vaccine based on messenger RNA technology. After the emergence of the epidemic, the company benefited from years of experiences in this field, which helped it discover a vaccine against the epidemic in a record time compared to previous vaccines that had been developed in the past.

Testicular cancer drug

According to the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the first drug, if all the ongoing clinical trials are successful, will be ready by 2027. It is a drug that treats testicular cancer in males. The official says that for men "between 25 and 40 years of age, whose bodies have not responded to other treatment methods for the disease."

Why is this type of cancer even though it is not the most common? Helmuth Gigliet explains that this has to do with the ethics of the company that wants to take care of rare types of cancer that are not given the attention of major drug companies due to the absence of a financial incentive, and thus patients do not find a drug that treats them.

Individual treatments

The interesting thing about mRNA therapies is that they are individualized, that is, they are developed on a case-by-case basis. The first is to remove the tumor or tissue from the cancerous cells in the patient. After the company obtains these samples, it develops a drug that treats the condition by stimulating the immune system to eliminate diseased cells without causing any harm to healthy cells.

The journey of the German company headed by its founder Şahin Ugur will definitely not stop at this point. Its experts see testicular cancer as a starting point for treatments that extend to other types of cancer. In statements to the German newspaper, Helmuth Giglie did not hide that he would not be satisfied with the company's performance unless "we succeeded in developing a good number of cancer treatments," and he continued, "then we will have achieved our dreams on the ground."

Cancer in children

On the other hand, parents whose children have been diagnosed with cancer hope that they will receive the attention of companies working with messenger RNA technology, especially since childhood cancer remains, compared to other types, a rare disease that does not receive the attention of companies in turn.

In Europe, cases of cancer in children amount to about 35,000 cases annually, 6 thousand of them die. Consequently, the low return on investment resulting from the search for pediatric treatments does not encourage the concerned authorities in the sector. In addition, it is difficult to conduct clinical trials involving children and adolescents.

It is true that in the last ten years significant strides have been made in the development of research work in this direction, with the amendment of the laws on the participation of children and adolescents in clinical research, but the treatments in force are originally developed for adults and are only adapted to children.

What complicates matters further is that childhood cancer is diagnosed only in advanced stages. In 80% of cases diagnosed in children, cancerous tumors were advanced, while the rate in adults does not exceed 20%.

All these factors make parents and experts alike hopeful that mRNA technology will open up new avenues for treating childhood cancer.

What do you know about testicular cancer?

Testicular cancer is a malignant tumor that begins in the testicle , a reproductive gland found in males in the scrotum. Testicular cancer is more common in the age group from 15 to 35 years, and it may affect the elderly, or appear - but is rare - in young people.

Almost all cases of testicular cancer occur in the cells that produce sperm, as a mutation in the genetic material "DNA" (DNA) occurs in these cells, which leads to abnormal and uncontrolled growth. Although the exact causes of these changes in cells are not known, there are factors that increase the risk of testicular cancer.

Risk factors for testicular cancer

-Abnormal testicular growth.

-A history of an undescended testicle.

-Having Kline-Filter syndrome, a chromosomal disorder that occurs when a male is born with an extra "X" chromosome, leaving him with more than 46 chromosomes.

-Exposure to certain chemicals.

-Infection with the HIV virus (HIV), which is responsible for the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

-A satisfactory family history of testicular cancer.

Testicular cancer symptoms

-Pain or an uncomfortable feeling in the testicle.

-Feeling of heaviness in the scrotum.

-An enlarged testicle or a difference in its texture.

-Enlarged breast tissue (gynecomastia).

-Pain in the back or lower abdomen.

Testicular cancer prevention

Although there is, as yet, no effective preventive test technique for testicular cancer, people who have had an undescended testicle in the past are recommended to see a doctor for a preventive testicular cancer test. Discuss this issue with your doctor in light of your risk factors and family history of the disease.

Some doctors also recommend conducting a testicular self-examination, and in this way, the person becomes aware of the condition, texture and shape of his testicles, and thus can notice any change in them directly at the first occurrence, and go to the doctor directly to investigate the matter.

Steps to self-Each testicle

-Stand in front of the mirror.

-Look at the scrotum, and look for any swelling or change in its skin.

-Examine each testicle individually, using both hands.

-Place your index and middle fingers under the testicle, and place your thumb on top of it.

-Roll the testicle between the thumb from above and the index finger and middle from below, smoothly and gently.

-The testicle is usually oval, soft and somewhat fixed in the scrotum, and it is considered normal for one testicle to be slightly larger than the other.

-Examine the epididymis - the duct that carries sperm from the testicle - which leads up to the top of the testicle.

-Consult your doctor, who will teach you to do a testicular self-examination.

-If you feel any change in the testicles, see a doctor.