In 2006, Botox was put forward by scientists as a possible tool to fight cancer - the theory being that it could be used to freeze the growth of tumours. Botox - short for botulinium toxin - is the substance responsible for non-moving foreheads and faces around the world. But seven years on, rather than just being used for plastic surgery, a 'super-jab' could could provide a form of pain relief without any side effects. Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? We've heard about Botox relieving chronic pain from migraines - last year, following a review by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), injections became available on the NHS to people whose lives were 'severely blighted' by it. For cancer patients, a single jab could do away with the need for daily powerful pain relief pills which tend to have side effects. The Daily Mail reported that charities have supported the development of the super-jab drug by a researcher at Sheffield University. The way that Botox works is that once injected, it prevents nerve cells from communicating to the muscles. Hence why it's so popular for anti-ageing - when the muscles stop moving, it delays the onset of wrinkles. Another side effect is that it also provides pain relief but it has been avoided because of concerns that it may paralyse the area being treated. However - the beauty of the super-jab is that it can be injected anywhere in the body, and it works by going straight to the spine and stops pain signals being sent to the brain. Professor Bazbek Davletov created the formula, saying: "Currently painkillers relieve lingering pain only temporarily and often have unwanted side-effects. An injection of this new molecule at the site of pain could potentially relieve pain for many months." However there are critics who would like more research done into the long term effects of using Botox. Source
