'Holy Grail' Of Cancer Therapy: Researchers Find Way To Protect Healthy Cells From Radiation Damage

[n2doc]

ScienceDaily (Oct. 21, 2009) — Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, may be hot on the heels of a Holy Grail of cancer therapy: They have found a way to not only protect healthy tissue from the toxic effects of radiation treatment, but also increase tumor death. The findings appear today in Science Translational Medicine.

More than half of all cancer patients are treated at least in part with radiation, said study co-author Jeff S. Isenberg, M.D., M.P.H., associate professor, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Pitt School of Medicine. But the same radiation that kills cancer cells can also destroy healthy ones, causing side effects such as nausea and vomiting, skin sores and rashes, and weakness and fatigue. Long-term radiation exposure can lead to the scarring and death of normal tissue.

He and his NCI colleagues have identified a biochemical signaling pathway that can profoundly influence what happens to both cancerous and healthy cells when they are exposed to radiation. In mouse experiments, they found that blocking a molecule called thrombospondin-1 from binding to its cell surface receptor, called CD47, affords normal tissues nearly complete protection from both standard and very high doses of radiation.

"We almost couldn't believe what we were seeing," Dr. Isenberg said. "This dramatic protective effect occurred in skin, muscle and bone marrow cells, which is very encouraging. Cells that might have died of radiation exposure remained viable and functional when pre-treated with agents that interfere with the thrombospondin-1/CD47 pathway."

more:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021144246.htm

Maybe this can help with mars missions and other space travel as well given radiation dosage is a big concern?

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. On Star Trek they often innoculate against radiation exposure for away missions in

dangerous areas. Would be interesting if this turns out to be another Trek idea that come true.

In the meantime, I am more excited about the application for cancer patients. I watched my MIL die a horrific death from pancreatic cancer and its ultimately useless treatments.

[n2doc]

2. I was reminded of that too

Seems like a natural idea. I just wish they would hurry up with the other concepts- warp drive, artificial gravity, shields, medical hologram doctors,....

could live without phasers and photon torpedos, though.

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. We need their power sources and replicators first, though. Knock out

the lack of fulfillment of basic needs on this planet and we will be a much happier and kinder species. And if we can clean up the damage to the planet itself, also a wicked good thing.

But after that it's, "hi-ho hi-ho, it's off to deep space we go." :D

[gorfle]

5. Unfortunately...

Unfortunately all of the concepts you wish to see are basically problems in generating and harnessing massive amounts of energy.

This is a de facto weapon.

[sinkingfeeling]

3. Great news. Radiation treatments for cancer of the tonsils has left me with almost no saliva

production. That makes eating an ordeal and leads to tooth decay. I've developed a hole in my gum, exposing the jaw bone. Funny, but one's taste buds will regenerate after being destroyed.

[FatDave]

6. Intellectual Elite and Federal Government Cure Cancer

That's the headline I'd write.

[mzmolly]

7. Very cool.

:hi: