Cancer-killing stem cells engineered in lab

[IDemo]

Source: BBC

Scientists from Harvard Medical School have discovered a way of turning stem cells into killing machines to fight brain cancer.

In experiments on mice, the stem cells were genetically engineered to produce and secrete toxins which kill brain tumours, without killing normal cells or themselves.

Researchers said the next stage was to test the procedure in humans.

A stem cell expert said this was "the future" of cancer treatment.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-29756238

[Chemisse]

1. Wooohooo!!

You go, Harvard scientists!

[loudsue]

2. They can't move fast enough! I lost a really good friend to brain cancer in '09

What a waste of a beautiful life. My aunt died of it many years ago. I hope this can be expanded to include other cancers.

[Earth_First]

3. Fantastic news!

With the ingenuity of researchers and science hopefully this is the breakthrough that leads to further developments in cancer research...

[Feral Child]

4. Extremely important article.

We need to get past religious barbarism and open up stem cell research.

REC

[Helen Borg]

5. "brain cancer"

As if there was one type only. There are many different types...

[Thor_MN]

7. And you believe that the toxins produced by these stems cells wouldn't work on all types?

Hell, if they worked on only one type, this is very big. If you are going to be a Debbie Downer, I'd say the question is what happens after the cancer is killed and you still have toxin producing stem cells growing in your body?

[Moosepoop]

10. True, this particular article didn't specify the type of cancer...

but this one does: Scientists engineer toxin-secreting stem cells to treat brain tumors

Shah next plans to rationally combine the toxin-secreting stem cells with a number of different therapeutic stem cells developed by his team to further enhance their positive results in mouse models of glioblastoma, the most common brain tumor in human adults. Shah predicts that he will bring these therapies into clinical trials within the next five years.

Gioblastomas are not only the most common brain cancers in adults, they are also the most aggressive.

Don't rely on one reporter's or publication's shorthand in determining the worth of the subject matter. A bit of looking and reading is all it takes to educate oneself.

[Helen Borg]

15. Prediction: clinical trial failure.

Because that is the norm, with these things. Mouse ~= Human

[Moosepoop]

19. Well now, that's an entirely different downer to drop in the thread.

First it's a quibble with the lack of specificity in the article, now it's a prediction of failure. What's next, a declaration that even if a cure were found, everyone is going to die of something someday, anyway? I hope your world isn't as gray as your posts make it seem. Have a nice day.

[Helen Borg]

20. Yeah, positive psychology does not work for me...

I'm good with reality. Thanks.

[Bleacher Creature]

6. Remember when Bush banned stem cell research?

I know it's been more than six years since that vile person left office, but the level of depravity still astounds me.

[Paladin]

17. Fuck Dim Son eternally for his efforts to restrict that research.

I hope he never receives the medical benefits derived from that research. Never ever.

[ellennelle]

8. cannabinoids do it better

and naturally.

go here:

this was uncovered more than a year ago. the american pharms want to manufacture this so they can hold the patents and make profits.

sigh.

[MADem]

9. Boy is this bittersweet.....

Shortly after Ted Kennedy lost his battle, we lost a cousin's partner to the same cancer.

Talk about a long goodbye--I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

Now, the next step is to translate the work to other cancers as well. These are very exciting times.

How far ahead would we be if government funded stem cell research hadn't been, in effect, shut down and offshored during the Bush Reign of Terra?

[MinneapolisMatt]

11. Right?!

Makes me furious.

[dotymed]

21. And since

marijuana has been classified as a horrific drug with no therapeutic value (federally) it MAY be a great, natural healing agent.
We all know the "game" is rigged terribly. Marijuana used to be a standard drug in a Dr.'s "black bag" before Hoover (what a guy) decided to propagandize Americans (successfully) with "reefer madness."

[MADem]

22. Indeed.... nt

[deurbano]

24. Yes.

[AlbertCat]

12. Probably coulda happened YEARS ago....

..... but for Dubya and his ilk.

[SHRED]

13. Cannabis Oil

http://www.alternet.org/drugs/meet-teen-who-beat-terminal-brain-cancer-cannabis

[mountain grammy]

16. Only one word; hope!

[JudyM]

14. This is great. If only there were more research funding for studies on Asian mushrooms as a cure.

The studies that are out there indicate that Asian mushrooms seem to significantly boost t-cell count, generally, as well as kill cancer cells, specifically. Different mushrooms (shiitake, maitake, reishi, etc) seem to do well against different types of cancers and are widely recognized and used in Japan as complementary therapy to 'western' medicine for cancer patients.

Since there isn't as much money to be made on this type of treatment, the studies aren't prolific as they would be for some engineered chemical. And MDs here aren't even aware of the beneficial effects of asian mushrooms on cancer - if only they were. Natural grocery stores carry mushroom extract supplements and tinctures, and they have these for pets, as well. But regular vets and docs don't even know about it... one of the supposedly foremost animal cancer vets (internationally!) was treating my cat for cancer and he had never even heard of this. Just wanted to do chemo and not let me use the mushroom supplement.

Since we all have cancer cells in us even if they don't reach the point of becoming cancer (as I understand it), I make a huge pot of Asian mushroom soup for my folks' freezer every time I visit

Plus any time I get sick I make it for myself as 'medicine' along with turmeric/ginger/garlic/elderberry/honey tea - does seem to noticeably speed recovery as far as I can tell.

[flamingdem]

18. Amazing

Congrats to the those involved!

[DesertDiamond]

23. Yeah, they keep "searching for a cure" for cancer. Cancer has already been cured.

But with natural healing agents and methods that can't be patented. So they keep suppressing the cures already known and keep in taking in donations and tax dollars to "find" a cure.