Unconventional treatment strategy controls -- rather than eradicates -- cancer

A new study suggests that frequent, low-dose chemotherapy that keeps tumor growth under control may be more effective than standard high-dose chemotherapy that seeks to eradicate cancer cells completely. The treatment strategy, which was tested in mice, flies in the face of conventional cancer therapy, which generally hits patients with the maximum drug dose possible to kill off the largest number of tumor cells. Despite aggressive treatment, complete cancer eradication is rare and toxic side effects all too common. Recently, researchers have questioned the benefits of standard chemotherapy because while it destroys drug-sensitive tumor cells, it leaves behind drug-resistant cells. By eliminating the former population of tumor cells, the drug allows resistant cells to take over and drive tumor growth uncontrolled.

http://www.eurekalert.org...022216.php


http://stm.sciencemag.org...27/327ra24

Exploiting evolutionary principles to prolong tumor control in preclinical models of breast cancer

adapt to cancer, learn to live with it in small measures? i guess a lot of people are already doing that eh? chemotherapy seems like too blunt an intrument to use, even in small doses. i'd think nano technology would be useful in this application. little tumor killing nanobots....

I would promote the policy to erase cancer causing factors.

Like poison on our food. No more gasoline in our cars. Etcetera.