Cancer Treatment!

[Michael Alexander]

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."

[Bertie Horak]

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.

[toonfandangl]

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.

[Michael Alexander]

CANCER SHOULD BE A THING OF THE PAST!

[SandyB]

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 ..

[toonfandangl]

Amen to that Sandy.................................

[Mike Voden (RIP)]

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.

[toonfandangl]

Hit the nail dead center on the head!!...............Mike Jenny

[SandyB]

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 ..