A team of US scientists claim they have made progress in the curing of advanced skin cancer.
A 52-year-old man had advanced melanoma and the researchers took cancer-fighting immune cells, made about five billion copies, then put them back.
This “supercharged” immune power went to work on the cancer. Two months later the scans showed the tumors had disappeared. Two years later…the man remains disease free.
Scientist started with melanoma because the disease is well understood (compared to some other cancers). The idea is that similar treatments may work on other cancers.
Which brings up the other question. Where do you stand on Stem Cell research?
Fine, I suppose this is where you look for some witty insights to my mind. A "bio" of sorts. Here is the deal... I ride motorcycles, smoke cigars, golf, kayak, fly, race my car through the mountains, write (a lot), and travel extensively. I am almost old enough not to care what other people think about me...almost. ~Godfadr
I’m fine with stem cell research. Proven adult stem cells that are federally funded seem to go by the media’s wayside when the argument comes up. Just because we won’t spend taxpayer funded federal money on embryonic stem cells, they blow it out of proportion that we wont fund stem cell research. Amazing what adding or subtracting can do to dupe a population.
Nevermind the fact that a lot of embryonic stem cell research still continues legally, just with private dollars being donated. I won’t go into depth on the issue of embryonic stem cells mutating like cancer-like growth, as a big detractor to using them.
What people don’t seem to understand about the stem cell debate is that we aren’t talking about whether or not it is legal (in most cases). We are only talking about whether or not the research should be funded with your tax dollars.
If there is such promise in stem cells, why aren’t medical research teams funding it privately. They would reap huge financial rewards if they discover some sort of cure. I say if you want to do it fine. Put your money where your mouth is.
Stem cell research is the future. We, as a country, can either be a part of it or not. Europe is way ahead of us.
That is fine Millen. I just don’t know why people think it needs to be funded by taxes.
Again, I think the confusion lies within the wording. Adult stem cell research is and has been federally funded. Not sure I agree with this personally given all the federal funding we dish out for many stupid tests that advance nothing. Embryonic Stem cell research however is currently only privately funded. (this is the stem cell research the media likes to use when saying the Bush Administration is against stem cell research- creating a more than biased argument, as usual) And so far has advanced nothing, so it can definitely stay in the private funding category, although I wish they might just abandon it altogether. Just my opinion.