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Tuesday, February 11, 2014

By Robbie Sutter


Stem cells, as far as science is concerned, is one of the greatest aspects that can be focused on. Brain cancer research, in my mind, is a great endeavor to take into account and I have to believe that this can be applied to the matter of cancer stem cells, too. Keep in mind that the cells in question have the ability to produce new cells, so shouldn't there be focus brought on particular therapies? As it stands, a recent study has been done in order to expand on these parts of the body.

Science Daily posted an article about a study that was done with the focus being on stem cells. It was done through a group of people from the Cedars-Sinai Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute and Department of Neurosurgery and what was found were a group of immune system targets resting upon cancer stem cells. In response, an experimental vaccine was designed for the purpose of targeting them. This drug stands the chance of being great in this field, especially if the research that has been done proves itself as worthwhile.

The research was done and what was picked up on, in particular, was a protein by the name of CD133. The experiment was done with mice, the aforementioned vaccine being put into place for the sake of determining if an immune response would follow. When it comes to the positives of this study, it was shown that this vaccine could be implemented without damaging the healthy cells or organs. The ability to minimize damage should be the focus of surgery in general, regardless of the brain being targeted or not.

From what I have seen, brain cancer research should give more of a focus to the CD133 protein. One of the reasons for this is because of its linkage to cancer stem cells and their levels of resistance, the protein in question can prove to be especially potent for immunotherapy purposes. Keep in mind, though, that it was not made clear as to whether or not this procedure can stop tumors from coming back. Even still, it's a procedure that organizations such as Voices against Brain Cancer should focus on.

As one can imagine, stem cells have been an area of focus in medicine in the past. After all, there has been talk that properly utilizing the cells in question could lead to the growth of lost limbs, for instance, though such a claim has not been confirmed. However, the information that exists with them has been enough for it to be brought into the broad field of brain cancer research. If this idea is expanded on, who knows just how much potential can be realized?




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