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Vaccine to prevent cancer

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Smilodon:
http://www.uga.edu/about_uga/profile/the-cancer-vaccine/


--- Quote ---When cells become cancerous, the sugars on their surfaces undergo distinct changes that set them apart from healthy cells. For decades, scientists have tried to exploit these differences by training the immune system to attack cancerous cells before they can spread and ravage the body.

Now, researchers at the University of Georgia Cancer Center have synthesized a carbohydrate-based vaccine that - in mice - has successfully triggered a strong immune response to cancer cells. The finding, published in the October issue of the journal Nature Chemical Biology, brings the scientists one step closer to a much-sought-after "cancer vaccine."
--- End quote ---

Vene:
Well, that is a terrible press release. It's not published in Nature Chemical Biology like it says, but at PNAS. Unfortunately, I can't read the whole text yet. I'm hesitant to get too excited over this, as it has so far only been successful in an animal model and not yet in humans. I would also be shocked if it was effective in all cancers, although if it works in even a single type of cancer, fantastic.

Smilodon:

--- Quote from: Vene on January 04, 2012, 02:44:25 pm ---Well, that is a terrible press release. It's not published in Nature Chemical Biology like it says, but at PNAS. Unfortunately, I can't read the whole text yet. I'm hesitant to get too excited over this, as it has so far only been successful in an animal model and not yet in humans. I would also be shocked if it was effective in all cancers, although if it works in even a single type of cancer, fantastic.

--- End quote ---

Hmm, didn't know there was a mix-up in the publisher. Although I too think this would be great if it worked even on just one type of cancer.

This source says human testing might start this year.

Vene:
Awesome, I sincerely hope it works. I'm just, skeptical, about anything so promising.

Shano:

--- Quote from: Vene on January 04, 2012, 03:06:08 pm ---Awesome, I sincerely hope it works. I'm just, skeptical, about anything so promising.

--- End quote ---

Actually there have been other reports this year of possibly very very successful cancer treatments (one coming from my (de facto) alma mater UPenn comes to mind). So we may really be at the verge of the new era of cancer treatments.

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