Researchers find cancer stem cells that cause tumor regrowth

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Agence France-Presse, Raw Story

Researchers find cancer stem cells that cause tumor regrowth
By Agence France-Presse
Wednesday, August 1, 2012 14:44 EDT

Researchers presented evidence Wednesday for the existence of cancer stem cells, with three different studies seeking to end a decades-old scientific dispute about how tumours grow.

The discovery should lead to new drugs targeting stem cells that cause tumours to reappear after cancer therapy, the teams argued in three scientific papers published simultaneously in the journals Nature and Science.

“The hypothesis (that cancer stem cells exist) has been around now for some time. Hopefully these three papers now make an end to the discussion,” Dutch researcher Hugo Snippert told AFP.

All the studies were conducted on lab mice.

Some experts have maintained that tumours are comprised of masses of cancer cells that are all the same, and all dividing.


Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/08/01/researchers-find-cancer-stem-cells-that-cause-tumor-regrowth/

[aquart]

1. Wowza.

Hooboy.

[cindyperry2010]

2. another big and important step

in the battle against cancer

[Spitfire of ATJ]

3. This is probably the key to a cure.

[Igel]

6. Or at least spread/recurrence.

It's one thing to get rid of a lump. But metastases are what are often (usually?) fatal, and the entire controversy was over how they metastatized.

I wonder if they can now think of some commonly co-occurring cancers as resulting from stem cell differentiation?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

7. Exactly. This could identify markers previously unknown.

[Turbineguy]

4. Time to bring in

Rush Limbaugh to try them out!

[KansDem]

8. "All the studies were conducted on lab mice."

No mention of rats...

[Turbineguy]

9. Yeah, no mention of

swine either.

[valerief]

5. Well, that'll help the 1%. nt