nanoworms!

[Chaigidel]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0506200531.htm

apparently they have designed sugarcoated magnetic worms which dodge the immune system and attach themselves at a molecular level to tumors-- allowing a scan to produce more clear results and detect them earlier

eventually they think they could design them to actually destroy the tumors.


welcome to the new human race---even our cells will be aided by our technology, and this will only unfold as time passes.

[Valentin the II]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0506200531.htm

apparently they have designed sugarcoated magnetic worms which dodge the immune system and attach themselves at a molecular level to tumors-- allowing a scan to produce more clear results and detect them earlier

eventually they think they could design them to actually destroy the tumors.


welcome to the new human race---even our cells will be aided by our technology, and this will only unfold as time passes.

Thats the perfect way to destroy tumors.
Cancer is practically cured!

[Cluny the Scourge]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0506200531.htm

apparently they have designed sugarcoated magnetic worms which dodge the immune system and attach themselves at a molecular level to tumors-- allowing a scan to produce more clear results and detect them earlier

eventually they think they could design them to actually destroy the tumors.


welcome to the new human race---even our cells will be aided by our technology, and this will only unfold as time passes.

Don't worry, religious lobbyists will be sure to frame it as an interference with God's plan and will have this research banned as soon as it threatens to generate real results.

[Ludicus]

"The researchers are now working on developing ways to attach drugs to the nanoworms and chemically treating their exteriors with specific chemical “zip codes,” that will allow them to be delivered to specific tumors, organs and other sites in the body"

A very effective way to treat, and avoiding side effects, but not the cure....
For the generality of cancers, there are no completely curative drugs. Cure of the cancer? we are still far way from that.

Every single day research promises new hope. New trials, more publicity....

Another "curative" treatment:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/...t-cancers.html
"It sounds almost too good to be true: a cheap and simple drug that kills almost all cancers by switching off their “immortality”..."

[Valentin the II]

Look, if they can atatch themselvs to tumors with precision and cary harmfull material (radioactive, chemicall or biological toxins) we can efectivly treat cancer.
I know we already have antibodies for that, but its hard to design a new kind for eatch kind of tumor, and they arent very reliable.

[Ludicus]

Look, if they can atatch themselvs to tumors with precision and cary harmfull material (radioactive, chemicall or biological toxins) we can efectivly treat cancer.

Sure, but still today the anticancer drugs and treatments are not curative, in strictu sensu. Nanotechnology drug delivery certainly enhances therapeutics effects.

[Valentin the II]

Sure, but still today the anticancer drugs and treatments are not curative, in strictu sensu. Nanotechnology drug delivery certainly enhances therapeutics effects.

Anti-cancer drugs?
You know what can kill a cell? A radioactive isotope, thats what!
No need for your puny drugs.
We just need to atach something really deadly to them and we are good to go, cancer cells are just as mortal as normal cells are.

[Denny Crane!]

No but they will make the disease chronic rather than terminal. Much like the debate about what will replace oil there are a thousand possibilities and in reality we'll end up using quite a few of them rather than just one silver bullet.

[Ludicus]

No but they will make the disease chronic rather than terminal.

Probably, in some cases, but not certain; frequently, the benefits provided by the anticancer drugs are temporary and cease to have effect. Completely. There are exceptions, of course.

[Denny Crane!]

Probably, in some cases, but not certain; frequently, the benefits provided by the anticancer drugs are temporary and cease to have effect. Completely. There are exceptions, of course.

The trend definitively is for longer life exptancies in most cancers thanks to research over the last two decades though no?

[Ludicus]

The trend definitively is for longer life exptancies in most cancers thanks to research over the last two decades though no?

Yes, absolutely, you are right.
The mortality rate is still very high in some cancers (melanoma , pancreatic , lung, ovary , breast , uterin, colon rectal cancer, and others)
Early detection is very, very important.The prognosis often depends on how early it is detected.
A tool to understand the prognosis is the survival rate, 5- years survival rate. For example, about half (49 percent) of people diagnosed with early-stage lung cancer live for at least 5 years. The 5 years survival rate for people that has the lung cancer metastasized (spread) to other areas of the body is only 2 percent.
(The lung cancer is assintomatic in the early stage of the disease)

[christof139]

I'm trying to get it now with my ceegar as the catlyst. I'll tell you later if it is chronic or terminal. Maybe not come to think of it.

Chris

[Chaigidel]

I can testify to the improved nature of cancer medicine, my mother survived multiple myeloma, due to modern treatments.,

[Stalins Ghost]

This isn't one to worry about the religious lobbyists too much with as I see it - it's not like genetics where there's a whole debate about what "life" constitutes as.

[Bernem]

another very promising class of molecules are nanobodies. they are a possible cure for cancer and other diseases. you probably know the usual antibodies. nanobodies are a very special type of antibodies derived from camels and llamas. they have many advantages over common antibodies such as they can pass the gastrointestinal tract and can be stored much longer.
because they are much smaller than common Antibodies they can reach places such like the inner cells of a tumor, or the binding place of a receptor. they can be fused with cytotoxic agents. the first ones have already entered clinical trials and if they work as well as in the mouse models then it's marvellous.

for a short introduction: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanobodies

[Ludicus]

another very promising class of molecules are nanobodies. ... the first ones have already entered clinical trials and if they work as well as in the mouse models then it's marvellous.

Currently, there are ongoing trials, phase Ib, for Von Wilebrandt disease (inherited bleeding disorder)
A very promising class of molecules, indeed, with a wide range of applications.
Let us wait and see.

[Beiss]

Dude, I don't want some nasty sugarcoated magnetic worms inside of me!