A Cure for Cancer?

[OldFatGuy]

I am not a man of science, nor a man of medicine, tho I've been a patient of medical practice like most people are at some point during their lives. Over the years, in the popular media, I read countless touts of possible cancer cures, one of the most horrible causes of death and pain for humans and other animals. The hope is always just around the corner.

My eldest son served many years as a US Army doctor, in both Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as stateside. Now he heads a major trauma team at one of NYC's better hospitals. Obviously, I am a proud father. This morning, I received an e-mail from him with the following link, with a note of skepticism and hope:

https://www.jpost.com/HEALTH-SCIENC...ientists-say-they-think-they-found-one-578939

I hope and pray this is true, and not another baseless brag about controlling this horrible set of diseases that threatens all those we all love and cherish.

 

[longview]

I am not a man of science, nor a man of medicine, tho I've been a patient of medical practice like most people are at some point during their lives. Over the years, in the popular media, I read countless touts of possible cancer cures, one of the most horrible causes of death and pain for humans and other animals. The hope is always just around the corner.

My eldest son served many years as a US Army doctor, in both Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as stateside. Now he heads a major trauma team at one of NYC's better hospitals. Obviously, I am a proud father. This morning, I received an e-mail from him with the following link, with a note of skepticism and hope:

https://www.jpost.com/HEALTH-SCIENC...ientists-say-they-think-they-found-one-578939

I hope and pray this is true, and not another baseless brag about controlling this horrible set of diseases that threatens all those we all love and cherish.

I don't pretend to understand what they are talking about, but existing chemotherapy,
is basically giving the body lots of toxins, and hoping the faster growing cancer cells die before everything else.

 

[Common Sense 1]

Could it be possible? I have my doubts but truly hope they are successful.
What a wonder this could be. So many lives would be saved the ravage of cancer.

 

[JacksinPA]

I don't pretend to understand what they are talking about, but existing chemotherapy,
is basically giving the body lots of toxins, and hoping the faster growing cancer cells die before everything else.

Brings back fond memories of Laetrile. Since it couldn't be patented in order to make truckloads of $$$, I believe the MS pharma companies put the brakes on this in the early 60s:

https://articles.mercola.com/sites/.../10/18/laetrile-cancer-research-cover-up.aspx

 

[OldFatGuy]

Could it be possible? I have my doubts but truly hope they are successful.
What a wonder this could be. So many lives would be saved the ravage of cancer.

Reasonable doubt is logical, despite the noble goal.

Both my son and I searched for peer review, no published papers. What works in mice does not always work for mankind. Of course, well known cancer experts have expressed their doubts, but this threatens their bread and butter. I hope and pray for the best. We'll know more in the coming year.

 

[JacksinPA]

'Magic bullets' may indeed exist but cancer is too varied, too widespread & too complex genetically to be susceptible to one such.

And remember that God created cancer. Big, bad magic powered by the Holy Ghost.

 

[OldFatGuy]

'Magic bullets' may indeed exist but cancer is too varied, too widespread & too complex genetically to be susceptible to one such.

And remember that God created cancer. Big, bad magic powered by the Holy Ghost.

It appears to be more of a method than a substance, customizing delivery of cancer cell toxins for the needs of the patient, and key compounds also customized to turn off the cell reproduction.

 

[PIPEWRENCH]

Could it be possible? I have my doubts but truly hope they are successful.
What a wonder this could be. So many lives would be saved the ravage of cancer.

The problem is there are still so many other ways to die. Every time medical science cures something nature just comes up with another way to kill us. I think it will be like antibiotics. At first everything is great then the problems arise.

 

[JacksinPA]

It appears to be more of a method than a substance, customizing delivery of cancer cell toxins for the needs of the patient, and key compounds also customized to turn off the cell reproduction.

IMO, improbable. Cancers are too diverse in their genetics & biochemistry to be susceptible to magic bullets.

 

[JacksinPA]

The problem is there are still so many other ways to die. Every time medical science cures something nature just comes up with another way to kill us. I think it will be like antibiotics. At first everything is great then the problems arise.

Cancer cells are very similar to normal cells in a way: they develop novel means for developing tolerance to chemotherapeutic agents, rendering those rapidly useless.

 

[MauiMan]

It seems like we hear something like this every few years. Nixon declared a “war” on cancer a long time ago (presidents like to declare “war” on this and that—makes them feel useful). That being said, I hope the article is true. I’m grateful people dedicate their lives to eradicating this horrible affliction.

 

[JacksinPA]

Unfortunately, this novel therapeutic approach is still in the lab phase. It will take years to go through initial FDA approval, then clinical trials before it would be available for use on patients.

These sort of announcements are made fairly often. But modern medicine is still making progress. My wife survived breast cancer, which is a big step forward.

 

[lwf]

Unfortunately, this novel therapeutic approach is still in the lab phase. It will take years to go through initial FDA approval, then clinical trials before it would be available for use on patients.

It's an Israeli method, and it will depend on the policies of whatever the Israeli equivalent of the FDA is. If it starts working in Israel, Americans will be going there to get treatments. The FDA will fast track it at that point.