Training an Immune System To Kill Cancer 209
NotSanguine sends in a story about William Ludwig, a 65-year-old leukemia patient who underwent a new, experimental treatment that draws upon two decades of advances in molecular biology. Quoting:
"Doctors removed a billion of his T-cells — a type of white blood cell that fights viruses and tumors — and gave them new genes that would program the cells to attack his cancer. Then the altered cells were dripped back into Mr. Ludwig’s veins. At first, nothing happened. But after 10 days, hell broke loose in his hospital room. He began shaking with chills. His temperature shot up. His blood pressure shot down. He became so ill that doctors moved him into intensive care and warned that he might die. His family gathered at the hospital, fearing the worst. A few weeks later, the fevers were gone. And so was the leukemia. ... In essence, the team is using gene therapy to accomplish something that researchers have hoped to do for decades: train a person's own immune system to kill cancer cells."
Re:Interesting (Score:2, Funny)
Probably...
of course if we don't die from cancer then we still have to deal with aliens coming down to conquer us like independence day.
At least we know we can infect their technology with a wi-fi laptop running mac-os. Thanks will smith!
Where's DrBob? (Score:5, Funny)
I can't gauge the validity of this research without a mention of subluxations as a calibration reference for my stupidity detector.
Re:Interesting (Score:5, Funny)
The evidence for I am Legend is better than for the American Revolution, after all, they have actual video for I am Legend, but not for the American Revolution. So really, believe what you want, but I prefer things I can see.