Tarantula venom was developed to detect cancer

Giant spiders are often called by the name Tarantula known to be very venomous. But in the hands of Australian scientists, deadly poison of this animal is actually developed to assist physicians in detecting the presence of cancer cells. Development made ​​by scientists from the University of Queensland is entering a new phase of testing.

Although its application in the medical world is estimated to still took a long time, but early studies have shown positive results. When reacted with tarantula toxins, cancer cells fluoresce so that it can be distinguished from normal tissue. If a development project funded by the National Breast Cancer Foundation is successful, the tarantula venom would be applied to detection of breast cancer.

Scientists make the cells glow, helping surgeons tell the difference between brain tumour cells and normal cells. "We are hoping spider toxins will do the same thing for breast cancer, or do even more and kill the breast cancer cells," Dr Daly said.

Other research that may give hope to breast cancer sufferers include a breath test, which measures substances in the breath that may be early warnings.

Developed at the University of Western Australia, it is being tested in the US and Israel.

Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre researchers are also trying to develop a drug to destroy the most aggressive breast cancer tumours.

Dr Andreas Moeller said the drug, which could be available within five years, would first be used in women with basal-like breast cancer, a sub-type of cancer resistant to existing treatments.

Researchers have discovered how to block the tumour's "call for help". Human trials begin soon.

Melbourne's St Vincent's Institute is working on a way to prevent secondary breast cancer.

Lead researcher Professor Rik Thompson said his team was trying to identify changes that affected the shape and behaviour of the cells that formed secondary breast cancer so they could develop a method to detect the changes and develop new drugs to prevent it.