Posted on 11/11/2009 4:51:29 AM PST by Schnucki
A new pill that could cure one of the most lethal forms of cancer is being developed by scientists.
British researchers have found that a drug destroys tumours in a form of inoperable lung cancer that kills more than nine out of 10 sufferers.
The treatment works by blocking the growth of the cancer cells and eventually causing them to self destruct.
In more than 50 per cent of the trials, the treatment, which appears to have no side affects, killed all traces of the disease.
"We are very excited about it," said Professor Michael Seckl, the molecular oncologist who led the study at Imperial College London.
"If you get diagnosed with this cancer your chances of surviving are very small. Over the last 30 years we have made very little progress in its treatment.
"This is why this is so exciting. It is pretty unusual to see a drug that makes these tumours completely disappear."
More than 34,000 people die each year from lung cancer in the United Kingdom, the heaviest death toll of any cancer.
One in five lung cancer sufferers have a particularly virulent strain called small cell lung cancer which kills all but three per cent of sufferers within five years of diagnoses.
With this form of lung cancer, tumours spread quickly so it is rarely possible to remove the tumours surgically. Because of this, small cell lung cancer is treated with chemotherapy.
Initially, the treatment often appears to work, reducing the size of the tumours. However, the tumours usually grow back rapidly and then become resistant to further treatment.
The researchers behind the new study published in the journal Cancer Research have identified a drug that, in half of the mice treated, was able to completely shrink tumours away.
It was also able to stop
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Don’t throw out those smokes just yet...
But with National Health Care you’ll have to wait 2 years to get it...IF your under 50 year of age.
The smoke-nazis are very saddened by this news....
CC
Shoot, at the rate the country is going, there won’t be an cigarettes before long.... you know, big brother has to dictate to us what is good/bad for us.
It’s racist to smoke.../s
not really; it won’t be covered under Obamacare and the price will be whatever the market can bear and you’ll have to go to Mexico, (if they’ll let you leave) to get it.
My condolences on the loss of your mother to this. This is what killed my father.
They are merely designed to make the people feel better about their NHS.
This is particularly cruel because so many hopes are raised.
Don't believe me? Look again in a week and see if any of these press releases have legs. They rarely do, and fade away, only to be replaced by another one. I hate being a wet blanket, because I would love a "Lung Cancer Pill" as much as anyone else, having seen neighbors and friends die of it.
But think:
Is a country where people are pulling their own teeth with pliers and waiting months for a lithotriptor van REALLY going to accomplish this? Of course not.
Interesting this research came out of UK rather than the US.
In our country this type of research is grossly under funded compared to breast cancer and a few others.
And as long as you don't have anything questionable about your background such as holding a steady job, attending church, reading FreeRepublic or other right-wing terrorist activities.
If this pill did come to market would patients in the UK be able to get it? As I understand, smokers in the UK are often denied care.
I’m not so sure that governments will continue to discourage smoking. After all, it’s more cost-effective for people to smoke (and contribute all of those tobacco taxes) and die at a relatively young age, than to survive to age 95 and suck up all of those social security and Medicare dollars.
bump
One reason they can cure so many mice, but not people, is they test mice who haven’t been crippled by chemo.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.