Blue Jean Dye Kills Cancer Cells

[StraightDope]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5323704.stm

UK researchers are employing tiny gold "nanoparticles", 1/5000th the thickness of a human hair, to deliver the chemical compound directly into cancer cells, tearing them apart instantly.

The common dye found in blue jeans and ballpoint pens is called phthalocyanine and is a light-activated, or photosensitive, agent with cell-destroying properties.

<snip>

Traditional cancer chemotherapies rely on the patient being able to process the drug. In some people, their genetic differences mean this does not happen and for others, their cells become resistant to the effects of the drug.

Photodynamic therapy bypasses this issue because it does not rely on the body to activate the drug - rather a pulse of, rather ordinary, red light.



I think that either this treatment or an outgrowth of it will make cancer of various sorts managable within 20 years. This might be the most significant medical development since the sequencing of the human genome.

EDIT: Spelling.

[originalpckelly]

1. SHIT HOW COOL!!!!!

WOOHOO!!!!

How will the fundies oppose this?

[havocmom]

4. Blue,,, they hate blue

;)

[BlueEyedSon]

20. But it's the RED light that gets 'em!

[havocmom]

2. Wow.

Blue is good for you! Blue kills cancers. There's a timely message there.

[NashVegas]

3. Indigo?

Hmmmmm ....

I wonder how long before someone GEs the plant and files a patent.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigo_dye

[Jed Dilligan]

7. No, it's the chemical replacement

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phthalocyanine

[Jed Dilligan]

5. Pthalocyanine--great pigment

Loved it when I used to paint. It's almost black out of the tube and turns turquoise when you mix it with white.

Funny thing is, I always figured it was giving me cancer!

[BootinUp]

23. One of my first

jobs in plastics lab as a tech, I had to weigh up dry pigments, the phthalo blue would get airborne and after weighing a couple hundred prepacks you looked like a smurf.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

31. lol

[trof]

6. So...a pair of Levis a day keep the doctor away?

:rofl:
I crack myself up.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

8. Phthalocyanine? Isn't that used in writable CDs too? -nt

[StraightDope]

9. It sure is!

Isn't it amazing what a little blue can do? :)

[BootinUp]

19. Common pigment/dye

Used in plastics and all kinds of shit.

[porphyrian]

10. Great! In fifty years, the FDA might approve it! - n/t

[originalpckelly]

11. I don't even know why they said 20 years, the FDA reaserch...

and approval process is about 7 years.

[StraightDope]

24. Actually, that last line was mine. I should have been more clear about that.

[porphyrian]

25. Too many pharmacorp buddies profit from current treatments.

A cure will cost their golf pals a bunch of cash. Fuck the millions who die because of it, they're planning a trip to Aruba.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

12. Hmm.

Back in the thirties, a chemist developed a red dye that he thought had some antibacterial properties. But he couldn't test it on anybody, nobody figured giving a red dye to somebody would stop a bacterial infection. Then one day his young daughter broke her arm. It was a compound fracture and it got infected. It looked like she would lose her arm. So the chemist gave her the dye.

It was the first in what would be known as a series of antibiotics called sulfa drugs.

[eppur_se_muova]

13. Just to be clear, I believe that's COPPER phthalocyanine ...

http://www.inchem.org/documents/sids/sids/147148.pdf

Since the color varies with the metal complexed to the phthalocyanine ligand.

[Lance_Boyle]

14. great for skin cancers, but

how are they gonna get that pulse of light to activate the chemical in places where it would be more challenging to stick a flashlight?

[Celebration]

15. Maybe through the blood

At pulse points. Infrared will penetrate deep, also, so maybe that would work instead of red.

[BootinUp]

18. fiber optics.

[klook]

16. Fascinating info.

Thanks for passing it along. Unfortunately, it seems just wearing blue jeans and sucking ball-point pens will not prevent cancer, but this research holds great promise.

[Greyhound]

17. I love real authentically news. Thanks.

:kick: & R

[Canuckistanian]

21. Wow, "jean therapy"

It's finally a reality.

[Phillycat]

22. HOLY FUCK WOW.

That is awesomely cool. Thanks for posting this!

[negativenihil]

26. WHOA! Amazing!!! n/t

[helderheid]

27. HOT DAMN!!!

:woohoo:

[TacticalPeek]

28. Reddish light?

[StraightDope]

29. Lawl...

:rofl:

Phooone hooome!

[Flirtus]

30. do tight jeans deliver quicker?