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A Cure for Cancer?

Discussion in 'Alley of Dangerous Angles' started by Gnarfflinger, Aug 26, 2008.

  1. Gnarfflinger

    Gnarfflinger Wiseguy in Training

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    I stumbled upon this just now.

    It sounds good, Cheap and likely effective. What's wrong with this?

    It just sounds too good to be true...
     
    Gnarfflinger, Aug 26, 2008
    #1
  2. Aldeth the Foppish Idiot

    Aldeth the Foppish Idiot Armed with My Mallet O' Thinking Veteran

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    It's an opinion piece - and it's also about 1.5 years old. Something tells me that some university/company would have looked into this if it actually worked. It would also help if the guy linked to the study he refers to in the article. Without the research paper, I cannot draw any conclusions based on one guy's opinion.
     
    Aldeth the Foppish Idiot, Aug 26, 2008
    #2

  3. Rawgrim Gems: 21/31
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    I am quite sure that some medical companies would dread a cure for cancer. Think about how much money they would lose if there was a cure.
     
    Rawgrim, Aug 26, 2008
    #3

  4. The Great Snook Gems: 31/31
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    But think of how much money the compnay that developed the cure would make.
     
    The Great Snook, Aug 26, 2008
    #4
  5. Splunge

    Splunge Bhaal’s financial advisor Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    The chemical (dichloroacetate) apparently can't be patented, so it may be that any resulting drug couldn't be patented either. Then again, maybe it could.

    Anyway, a quick google of "dichloroacetate" for articles in the last year suggests that research is still going on.
     
    Splunge, Aug 26, 2008
    #5
  6. Tarrasque

    Tarrasque Whoever said Paladins had to be charismatic? ★ SPS Account Holder Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Just doing a quick check on wikipedia reveals that regulatory approval was granted for stage 2 trials late last year.
    http://www.depmed.ualberta.ca/dca/letter_092407.pdf

    Assuming this is successful and doesn't throw up any unforseen effects, it is likely to be several years before this drug is authorised for the treatment of cancer.
     
    Tarrasque, Aug 26, 2008
    #6
  7. Loreseeker

    Loreseeker A believer in knowledge Veteran

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    I haven't heard of this side of DCA use before.

    It makes sense, mechanistically speaking*. I'm not entirely convinced of the efficacy of the thing, without studies presented.

    *Although it's not exactly DCA that gets the mitochondrias active again, if that's how it happens. It simply boosts pyruvate to AcCoA conversion by stimulating the enzyme complex involved. The energy is rerouted from the final stage of anaerobic glycolitic processes, to the mitochondria. Since the cancer cells have (presumably) shut the mitochondria down to interrupt potential apoptosis, this new situation, and the imbalance of chemicals present forces them to power them back up, if they wish to exploit this energy. Whether they fail and die as a result, or whether apoptosis kicks in - *shrugs*.

    The research is still taking place, which is a good thing.

    Reports on DCA being used in treating certain cases of mitochondrial dysfunction are not uniform on the point of its toxicity - some report certain degrees of neural damage, some don't. (googled this)

    If it's effective and not too toxic (everything is toxic, more or less) - great.
     
    Loreseeker, Aug 27, 2008
    #7
  8. Ziad

    Ziad I speak in rebuses Veteran

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    This is the big problem, isn't it? I've lost count of the number of times I've read or heard about a compound that had great anti-tumour effect, was very promising to treat this or that cancer, then upon further trials turned out to be very toxic. A friend of mine was working on a naturally occurring compound from plants that gave great results and was completely non-toxic in cell culture. As soon as they moved to animal testing the compound turned out to be prohibitevely toxic.
     
    Ziad, Aug 27, 2008
    #8
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