theotherguy
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After reading several articles in scientific journals and a few news reports in my local paper, I have come to the conclusions that scientists are coming very close to curing all forms of cancer.
Basically, it all started with a single experiment last year when a group of scientists was testing the lethalitiy of a new form of extremely potent cancer. They injected the cancer cells into scores of mice, and then tracked its progress through their internal organs. over 90% of the mice died, yet there was a tiny number of mice who showed no symptoms, even when maximum dosages of cancer were injected into them. They injected different types of cancer into these immune mice and discovered they were completley immune to almost all forms of cancer.
They examined every aspect of these mice and discovered that their white blood cells were mutants which had antibodies against cancer. Essentially, the blood cells of these mice automatically attacked and killed cancer cells as soon as they formed, giving the mice a near 100 percent remission rate.
More importantly, when they injected the blood of these special mice into the other mice dying of cancer, the non-immune mice automatically went into remission and were cured.
The scientists then called in a number of human subjects and tested the DNA in their white blood cells and discovered that about 10 percent had the exact same immunity as the mice.
Theoretically, one could donate the blood of these individuals to cancer patients, and it should cure them. However, human white blood cells are very picky, and will often attack and kill patients with slightly different proteins.
The scientists abandoned the project because of difficulties with the white blood cells attacking cancer patient's healthy cells.
Fast forward to a few months ago. Another group of scientists took the findings of this earlier group, and took it a step further. They conjectured that if they automatically inserted the immunity genes into cancer-infected patient's blood cells using gene therapy, their cells would become immune.
The first human trial of gene therapy induced cancer immunity occured just recently. Fifteen cancer-infected subjects had a widescale alteration of a number of their white blood cells to make them immune to cancer. Two of the subjects were cured and went into remission, yet the others experienced no success. None of the placebo group went into remission.
They are now tweaking their formula and soon should have an alteration powerful enough to cure the other 13 patients. If they succeed, it will mean we are extremely close to a cure for cancer.
sources: Scientific American, Science and the Star-Telegram
Basically, it all started with a single experiment last year when a group of scientists was testing the lethalitiy of a new form of extremely potent cancer. They injected the cancer cells into scores of mice, and then tracked its progress through their internal organs. over 90% of the mice died, yet there was a tiny number of mice who showed no symptoms, even when maximum dosages of cancer were injected into them. They injected different types of cancer into these immune mice and discovered they were completley immune to almost all forms of cancer.
They examined every aspect of these mice and discovered that their white blood cells were mutants which had antibodies against cancer. Essentially, the blood cells of these mice automatically attacked and killed cancer cells as soon as they formed, giving the mice a near 100 percent remission rate.
More importantly, when they injected the blood of these special mice into the other mice dying of cancer, the non-immune mice automatically went into remission and were cured.
The scientists then called in a number of human subjects and tested the DNA in their white blood cells and discovered that about 10 percent had the exact same immunity as the mice.
Theoretically, one could donate the blood of these individuals to cancer patients, and it should cure them. However, human white blood cells are very picky, and will often attack and kill patients with slightly different proteins.
The scientists abandoned the project because of difficulties with the white blood cells attacking cancer patient's healthy cells.
Fast forward to a few months ago. Another group of scientists took the findings of this earlier group, and took it a step further. They conjectured that if they automatically inserted the immunity genes into cancer-infected patient's blood cells using gene therapy, their cells would become immune.
The first human trial of gene therapy induced cancer immunity occured just recently. Fifteen cancer-infected subjects had a widescale alteration of a number of their white blood cells to make them immune to cancer. Two of the subjects were cured and went into remission, yet the others experienced no success. None of the placebo group went into remission.
They are now tweaking their formula and soon should have an alteration powerful enough to cure the other 13 patients. If they succeed, it will mean we are extremely close to a cure for cancer.
sources: Scientific American, Science and the Star-Telegram
