Found this interesting:
"Trojan horse cells kill cancer
2009-06-28 22:10
Sydney - Australian scientists have developed a "Trojan horse" therapy to combat cancer, using a bacterially-derived nano cell to penetrate and disarm the cancer cell before a second nano cell kills it with chemotherapy drugs.
The therapy has the potential to directly target cancer cells with chemotherapy, rather than the current treatment that sees chemotherapy drugs injected into a cancer patient and attacking both cancer and healthy cells.
Sydney scientists Dr Jennifer MacDiarmid and Dr Himanshu Brahmbhatt, who formed EnGenelC Pty Ltd in 2001, said they had achieved 100% survival in mice with human cancer cells by using the "Trojan horse" therapy in the past two years.
The scientists plan to start human clinical trials in the coming months. Human trials of the cell delivery system will start soon at the Peter MacCullum Cancer Centre at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and The Austin at the University of Melbourne.
Production of proteins
The therapy, published in the latest Nature Biotechnology journal, sees mini-cells called EDVs (EnGenelC Delivery Vehicle) attach and enter the cancer cell.
The first wave of mini-cells release ribonucleic acid molecules, called siRNA, which switch off the production of proteins that make the cancer cell resistant to chemotherapy.
A second wave of EDV cells is then accepted by the cancer cell and releases chemotherapy drugs, killing the cancer cell.
"The beauty is that our EDVs operate like 'Trojan horses'. They arrive at the gates of the affected cells and are always allowed in," said MacDiarmid.
'Hottest areas'
"We are playing the rogue cells at their own game. They switch-on the gene to produce the protein to resist drugs, and we are switching-off the gene which, in turn, enables the drugs to enter."
RNA interference, or RNAi, is designed to silence genes responsible for producing disease-causing proteins and is one of the hottest areas of biotechnology research.
RNA was the basis of the 2006 Nobel Prize in medicine.
Dozens of biotechnology companies are looking for ways to manipulate RNA to block genes that produce disease-causing proteins involved in cancer, blindness or AIDS."
Great. It's just a matter of time. Nano-technology has a great future - the "mini-doctors" will circulate in the blood stream and do their job where needed. Maybe also helpful in diabetes, etc.
Most people will no of someone that Cancer had effected their lives.
And these are the scientists that are breaking new ground in Cancer research brilliant.
I have been to both of the mentioned hospitals Peter MaCullum and the Austin in Melbourne and instead of bombs and bullets one tenth of that money spent their was spent at these hospitals.
Cancer would be a thing of the past..........................................Frank.
CANCER SHOULD BE A THING OF THE PAST!
Truly amamzing technology ... instead of a shot gun that damages all ,a well aimed magic bullet .. and yes Frank .. less on bombs and bullets ... only dilemma is my still pervading belief that if it is so ordained then maybe its the time to let go of life force .. The magic bullet if its meant to work at that time to give a second lease on life will indeed be wonderful cos when one speaks to folk that have undergone chemo , its sometimes a living death in its own ... I lost my Mom to cancer .. I remember going to see her in hospital after they did the exploratory op that turned into a full colostomy .. she was lying there so cold and yes seemingly close to death .. I wept especially after the surgeon told me that chemo was not even an option that meant that she in effect only had with luck 2 - 3 months .. well Mom surprised us all .. I expected her to be bittter about the bag and the inconvenience , after all she believed she was immortal and invincible and used to an active life .. anyhow she bounced back , in the absence of chemo she went for Reif therapy gained weight got her health back ,, got another year or so of life to prepare her soul , then did a sudden decline within 2 months .. I remember spending lots of time with her in her last weeks saying as much as I did not want her to go as I really wanted so many more years of her fantastic friendship , at the same time was she prepared if things went the other way .. her words to me were " my boy as much as I do not want to go and as hard as it is I am making peace with that fact , this acceptance is a hard and bitter pill to swallow but I have to , but its better than losing one of my children before my time is done that would kill me "
Thats the dilemma of living ..
Amen to that Sandy.................................
When a person is told that they have an incurable disease, there are three main ways in which they can react.
1 Go into a denial mode
2 Try and fight it
3 Accept the fact and be totally positive towards the future and the whole situation
And the best option is to take number three. The other two options only get you down very much quicker in the end.
Hit the nail dead center on the head!!...............Mike Jenny
Choice # 3 helps ones body accomplish choice # 2 better ,, but yes its the mindset of 3 that helps one be positive and deal with any setbacks and yes if its time to also accept that fact ..