Cure for all Cancer found?

Teki187

Teki187

Teki187

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CHICAGO (Reuters) - Genetically engineered stem cells from bone marrow showed promise as a potential new way to deliver a cancer-killing protein to tumors, British researchers said on Tuesday.

Experiments in cell cultures and in mice showed the adult stem cells -- a type known as mesenchymal stem cells -- could home in on cancer cells and deliver a lethal protein that attacked only the cancer while sparing normal healthy tissue.

"We've developed cells which specifically target cancer through the body and deliver an anti-cancer protein to where it is needed in a seek-and-destroy approach," said Dr. Michael Loebinger of University College London, who presented his findings at the American Thoracic Society conference in San Diego.

"Essentially, we've combined two pieces of research. The first is that mesenchymal stem cells have an innate ability to seek out tumors throughout the body," Loebinger said in a telephone interview.

Loebinger, Dr. S. M. Janes and colleagues altered the cells to express or make the cancer-killing protein called TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand or TRAIL.
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Source - http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSTRE54I76U20090519

Are we nearly there? Stem cells seem to be able to cure everything. Maybe, just maybe in my life time, there will be a cure to all cancer.
 
and to think all those religious types bleating on about the terrible stem cell research idea and animal rights activists bleating about the terrible tests on animals.
 
The jury is still out with stem cells, is it a miracle cure or is it another expensive placebo? After watching a documentary last week about a blind toddler having stem cells to improve her sight, the test results showed no increased acitivity but the parents were convinced she was now interacting more and able to see more, but after spening £15K on the procedure maybe they are only seeing what they want to see.

Also you have the moral question of scientists playing God and trying to manipulate the complex structure of the human body and fight against nature. But if stem cells research does become so advanced and reliable that it is proven to cure or unconditionally improve known problems such as cancer, blindness and heart conditions then maybe it can only be a good and right thing no matter the moral or religious implications.
 
ScarySquirrel said:
I for one couldn't care less about religious implications if it means giving someone a better quality of life.
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You've obviously never met any jehovah witness

R. v Blaue [1975]

The defendant entered the home of an 18 year old woman and asked for sex. When she declined his advances, he stabbed her four times; the wound penetrated her lung which necessitated both a blood transfusion and surgery in order to save her life. After refusing treatment because of her religious beliefs (i.e. Jehovah's Witness) she died. Medical evidence showed that she would not have died if she had received treatment.In his final speech to the jury, counsel for the Crown accepted that the girl’s refusal to have a blood transfusion was a cause of her death.
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Fishfingers said:
The jury is still out with stem cells, is it a miracle cure or is it another expensive placebo? After watching a documentary last week about a blind toddler having stem cells to improve her sight, the test results showed no increased acitivity but the parents were convinced she was now interacting more and able to see more, but after spening £15K on the procedure maybe they are only seeing what they want to see.
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This is a bit different, these are scientists performing research which will be peer reviewed. These people going abroad for expensive treatment are simply paying money to a chinese clinic for some stem cells to be injected with no proper research to back up the claims being made.
 
The type of stem cells the article is referring to came from adult bone marrow, not from embryos, the type of stem cells some religious people object to.

Adult stem cell research has typically shown a lot more promise than embryonic stem cells, as this article neatly demonstrates, but as usual the scientific extremists have clouded the debate to try and make it all about Science vs. Religion, even if that is at the expense of promising research :rolleyes:
 
A promising treatment for all in the near future, I don't doubt that.

But right now, prolonging life even further is the last thing we need to be doing :/
 
~J~ said:
Well y'learn something new everyday. Has the law changed since then or does that kinda still stand?
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Its still stand, it gave rise to the "thin Skull Rule", you take your victims as you find them (LJ Lawton), if you read into it, it all make sense and it is very fair. There are books, essays, articles and mountain of reading on this - Causation and the "chain".
 
ScarySquirrel said:
I for one couldn't care less about religious implications if it means giving someone a better quality of life.
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I agree. We don't know for certain that there is any God whatsoever, however we do know that human beings suffering from cancer exist. Therefore stopping cancer suffering should be a priority over keeping religions happy.
 
int said:
But right now, prolonging life even further is the last thing we need to be doing :/
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You're right. We should stop developing this treatment immediately. While we're at it we should also legalise murder, close all hospitals, start nuclear testing on 3rd world countries, and with any luck we will return to the dark ages where everyone has a life expectancy of 30.
 
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