The position of some tumors in the brain makes surgery unsafe and chemotherapy and radiation almost useless. However recent investigation by the University of Southern California has indicated that the Copperhead Snake's venom binds to certain cancerous cells.
The binding prevents them from interacting with the cells around them; blocking their growth and invasiveness. In the investigation, mice were injected with the venom, and tumor progression and survival rate was then monitored.
The results were positive and the side effects were minimal, even in the tumor-free animals. Although this finding seems phenomenal and propels us one step further in eradicating the modern plague that is cancer, it should be noted that human experimentationis needed to confirm that the same reaction occurs in people.
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