An Immune System Trained to Kill Cancer
13th September 2011
Be the first on your block.
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.
We have the technology.
September 13th, 2011 at 06:30
They are also working on a bacteria that targets specific cancer cells. They are currently testing it on liver cancer. We may see a cure for cancer in our lifetime.
(Great. Just what we need: more old people gumming up the works and draining the economy…)
September 13th, 2011 at 08:00
Only in an economy in which the government is responsible for supporting them. In a properly ordered society they’d have to support themselves, or die.
September 13th, 2011 at 08:25
So that’s the conservative stance, is it? We won’t take life (abortion), but we won’t do anything to preserve it, either (Social Security).
In fact, we’ll just sit on our hands and hope it all works itself out. Just so long as it doesn’t cost me anything.