Some scientists think that the reason cancer recurs is because we haven't gotten to the root of the disease. What they mean by the root is -- the cancer stem cells.
Stem cells can reproduce and make exact copies of themselves and can live longer than ordinary cells. Embryonic stem cells can have the potential to become many different types of cells, whereas adult stem cells are generally limited to becoming into the cell types of a specific organ.
The researchers gave the analogy of a dandelion that is growing in your backyard. You can cut the weed but if you don't kill the root the dandelion will grow back. It seems that our treatments today for cancer can kill the ordinary cancer cells but can leave the stem cells behind to grow into new tumors and spread.
So how do we kill the cancer stem cells? Well, they don't know yet. But it is promising research that I look forward to hearing more about in the future.
1. Therapeutic cloning (or nuclear transplantation) is one of the most promising techniques using stem cells. This procedure can aid in creating laboratory models of cancer and genetic disease. For example, scientists can determine how a particular mutation causes cancer so they can treat or prevent it. Cloning is necessary for this type of stem cell research, it cannot be conducted with adult stem cells or traditionally-fertilized eggs. More information on cancer stem cells can be found at the International Society for Stem Cell Research.
Posted at 11:31PM on Apr 27th 2007 by Gregory D. Pawelski