[uranbigis]

Thapsigargin, the active ingredient in the thapsia plant, does a fantastic job of killing tumor cells by destroying their calcium balance. But it will do that to any cell that crosses its path. So Genspera, a biotech company in San Antonio, Texas, found a way to strictly guide and control the drug through the bloodstream until it finds its target.
"That's why we came up with the concept of producing a molecular grenade, so it activates only in the tumor," said Craig Dionne, GenSpera's president, CEO and director. http://gizmodo.com/5881640/scientist...ing-smart-bomb

Pretty exciting if human trials are successful.

[wMceqj7F]

F*&# Cancer, theres also this promising vaccine coming out of Israel
Claims it keeps 90% of all cancer at bay, just gotta wonder if its the most common 90%

http://boston.mfa.gov.il/index.php/e...-can-live-with

[Speareerfug]

I'll let you know when any of this **** works.

[BopeDolaNeone]

I'll let you know when any of this **** works.

Please do so before big-pharma eventually buys the patent/technology and flushes it down the toilet.

[Pheboasmabs]

Interesting stuff. Especially since recently my dad was diagnosed with, bladder cancer, bowel cancer and small cell lung cancer. All unrelated too, no metastasis from any of them, which surprised the team of doctors treating him, they originally thought it would be one cancer that had spread, turns out not. Sadly, i know things like this are probably a bit too late for my dad.

[tinetttstation]

I'll let you know when any of this **** works.

Coincidentally my friend worked in cancer research as well for his doctorate.

[JackTimQSR]

Please do so before big-pharma eventually buys the patent/technology and flushes it down the toilet.

Because they wouldn't make more money if they found an actually cure.

Edit: I assume that you are suggesting that they have had the cure for awhile but they suppress it so they get more money.

[leijggigf]

Amazing and about time, however having worked in the medical profession for many years I can see these potential cures being sat on very quickly by greedy pharma companies who would stand to loose billions in lost revenue (as would surgeons and hospitals).....

Another analogy would be the oil industry slowing the development of alternative fuel vehicles (even though they had developed vehicles to run on natural gas way back in the 1940's- Just one example)....

Or am I being overly cynical ?

[Kilsimpaile]

pff, bs
I know grenades that not only kill cancer, but also the person that has it.

[GaxyGroordrep]

Interesting stuff. Especially since recently my dad was diagnosed with, bladder cancer, bowel cancer and small cell lung cancer. All unrelated too, no metastasis from any of them, which surprised the team of doctors treating him, they originally thought it would be one cancer that had spread, turns out not. Sadly, i know things like this are probably a bit too late for my dad.

That's very unlucky, not to mention sad. Sorry about that.


I really do hope these promising finds come good. Cancer just plain sucks.

[BliliBoopsy]

Amazing and about time, however having worked in the medical profession for many years I can see these potential cures being sat on very quickly by greedy pharma companies who would stand to loose billions in lost revenue (as would surgeons and hospitals).....

Are you serious?

So in addition to spending most of their lives trying to make people better, they have to contend with the fact that the lot of you think they are scumbags cause the tools they use aren't 100% perfect?

One man can make an evil decision. But you essentially postulate that everyone in the healthcare business is out to get your money. And you are far from being the only one, as Acupuncture demonstrated earlier.

At the very least, you are deeply misguided. More likely, you are simply taking your frustration with inability to live forever, mixing it with jealousy, and projecting it on others.

[estuapped]

Are you serious?So in addition to spending most of their lives trying to make people better, they have to contend with the fact that the lot of you think they are scumbags cause the tools they use aren't 100% perfect?One man can make an evil decision. But you essentially postulate that everyone in the healthcare business is out to get your money. And you are far from being the only one, as Acupuncture demonstrated earlier. At the very least, you are deeply misguided. More likely, you are simply taking your frustration with inability to live forever, mixing it with jealousy, and projecting it on others.

I understand that you do not have a degree in business or economics, so I'll try my best to explain since this information might be outside of your field of expertise. Companies such as Pfizer inc, and Bristol-Myers Squibb are publicly traded corporations on the NYSE. Essentially they are "owned" (and therefore must answer to) their shareholders. In doing so, one thing and one thing only is of great importance when posting quarterly reports...profit. Much like Apple or GM, these companies sell goods or products that consumers use. As it stands, some of the goods sold by Pfizer (and similar companies) are patented pharmaceuticals that are given to cancer patients. They own the patent, therefore they have a financial incentive in treating those that have cancer.

And that's perfectly fine. We live in a capitalistic society that is driven by big money. I understand it's probably hard to absorb the thought of the incredible work that goes on in a laboratory is ultimately making someone else out there billions of dollars. But this is where it gets complicated. It's already known that cancer doctors profit from chemotherapy drugs. Now extrapolate that by a thousand to understand the impact of how these drugs effect big-pharma's bottom line. If newer, better treatments are on the horizon, these companies have the ability to lobby anyone and everyone they feel necessary to protect and continue the use of their patented product. People easily forget that the product sold has little to do with the ultimate purpose of being a globally traded company, and for those that are following, that would be profit. It's hard to imagine another company that develops and patents a better treatment than chemotherapy and radiation wouldn't be met with extreme opposition, especially if a company stands to lose billions of dollars as a result. In essence there is no difference between Bristol-Myers and Apple (lawsuits and all). They want to make as much money as possible to please their shareholders.

Here's a bit of anecdotal evidence you will probably not appreciate. I have supplied doctors and hospitals with medical equipment for years. Just like every product in existence, there are varying levels of quality depending on where these items are manufactured. Mostly everything is made in China, some of it great, most of it horrible. Fortunately, I know what works and for the best price. However, there are a few particular products that I feel every doctor, nurse, or surgeon should use. I have even gone as far as presenting statistical data as to why devices with a safety mechanism prevent accidental injections and present an overall safer area in surgery rooms. Even though the up-charge is quite minimal, the overall price was generally the only thing that mattered, resulting in a more dangerous environment for patients and doctors when the purchasing department simply went with the cheaper, less-safe alternative. While I thoroughly stand by convictions that there are a large number of men and women in the medical field performing miracles on a daily basis, one must realize they are but a small cog in an enormous machine. And you'd have to be a naive little boy to denounce the fact that those pulling the strings at the very top are only concerned with non other than the all mighty dollar. The only difference is that this corporate profit could be at the expense of someone else's health instead of simply resulting in a crappier car or having a slower iPhone.

[fissasste]

Some more info of the main ingredient that the biotech company is using:

http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/conte...3/990.full.pdf

[Smabeabumjess]

So Genspera , a biotech company in San Antonio, Texas, found a way to strictly guide and control the drug through the bloodstream until it finds its target. We know of many agents that can trigger apoptosis (programmed death) in cells already so this new "drug" isn't even worth talking about unless they show how exactly they plan to target these cancer cells. This has always been the issue really.

[bs44MhUW]

Are you serious?

So in addition to spending most of their lives trying to make people better, they have to contend with the fact that the lot of you think they are scumbags cause the tools they use aren't 100% perfect?

One man can make an evil decision. But you essentially postulate that everyone in the healthcare business is out to get your money. And you are far from being the only one, as Acupuncture demonstrated earlier.

At the very least, you are deeply misguided. More likely, you are simply taking your frustration with inability to live forever, mixing it with jealousy, and projecting it on others.

Wow, how to respond.

I am a qualified MD, when I emigrated to the USA I was unable to use my MD without going back to med school, so now I use another degree I have, Business Analysis. Am I qualified to talk about the greedy pharma companies? Yes I am, and I will. Look at the Fortune 500 lists and tell me why there are more pharma companies in the top 500 than any other vertical. I'd also question if you have every had to buy any anti-cancer drugs (upwards from $2000-3500 a shot), or work with any long term rehab hospitals that have no issue charging cancer patients over $1000 a day for a room.....

Please re-read my post again before you comment. The healthcare business is a multi-billion dollar a year industry, perhaps the only industry that has not seen a downturn in these bad economic times, I wonder why?

[AlexanderDrew]

Wow, how to respond.

I am a qualified MD, when I emigrated to the USA I was unable to use my MD without going back to med school, so now I use another degree I have, Business Analysis. Am I qualified to talk about the greedy pharma companies? Yes I am, and I will. Look at the Fortune 500 lists and tell me why there are more pharma companies in the top 500 than any other vertical. I'd also question if you have every had to buy any anti-cancer drugs (upwards from $2000-3500 a shot), or work with any long term rehab hospitals that have no issue charging cancer patients over $1000 a day for a room.....

Please re-read my post again before you comment. The healthcare business is a multi-billion dollar a year industry, perhaps the only industry that has not seen a downturn in these bad economic times, I wonder why?

I'm sorry, but your own statement says that you are not qualified.

[Phassetus]

I'm sorry, but your own statement says that you are not qualified.

He didn't want to go through med school again so he went with business instead? How is that not qualified?

[Mimsykzr]

Wow, how to respond.

I am a qualified MD, when I emigrated to the USA I was unable to use my MD without going back to med school, so now I use another degree I have, Business Analysis. Am I qualified to talk about the greedy pharma companies? Yes I am, and I will. Look at the Fortune 500 lists and tell me why there are more pharma companies in the top 500 than any other vertical. I'd also question if you have every had to buy any anti-cancer drugs (upwards from $2000-3500 a shot), or work with any long term rehab hospitals that have no issue charging cancer patients over $1000 a day for a room.....

Please re-read my post again before you comment. The healthcare business is a multi-billion dollar a year industry, perhaps the only industry that has not seen a downturn in these bad economic times, I wonder why?

It sounds to me that you are bitter.

As for $1000/day per room, my hospital charges almost $3000/day per room, and somehow manages only about 3% margins. There are things called expenses that inflate the cost, and some of them certainly have to do with greed, but very little of it comes from the hospital. And never ever have I heard of any hospital that would want you to stay an extra day to "get more money".

I'm sorry that you did not make use of your MD when you emigrated. My father was in the same boat, and yet he doesn't express his frustration with jealous diatribes. Since you are not using your MD, do yourself a favor and get your nose out of others.

[VodsNittats]

In Sweden it's 15$/Day.. No insurance needed. Maybe Socialism isn't that bad after all eh

[Âåðåùàãèí]

He didn't want to go through med school again so he went with business instead? How is that not qualified?

Maybe he didn't go through it again because he knew he wouldn't be able to handle the rigors of an American medical school.

In Sweden it's 15$/Day.. No insurance needed. Maybe Socialism isn't that bad after all eh

Much easier to provide healthcare to 9.3 million as opposed to 400 million.

Moron:

Pathetic.