This afternoon Jana came across this article about research just released by my oncologist, Dr. Ross Camidge: http://www.uch.edu/about/news/2011/benefit-of-targeted-lung-cancer-therapy-confirmed/ While the clinical trial is not related to my mesothelioma, it provides another example of the kinds of targeted therapies that are being developed. Traditionally, cancer was treated by cutting it out, poisoning it with drugs that also damaged normal cells (for example producing the numbness and tingling in my hands and feet), and burning it out with radiation. Now, as the biology of cancer is becoming better understood, drugs, like Jana's Gleevec, are being created to counteract specific genetic/molecular targets. Perhaps it is just a matter of time before the "war on cancer" can come to an end. Congratulations to Dr. Camidge and the others working on this new drug, and best wishes for a fully positive outcome.
David
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