I never would have predicted it -- that a tooth could become a tool for dispensing medication. But the refinement of such a creation is actually in the works and before long, you may be asking not for a gold or decorative tooth but for one capable of doling out your drugs in the exact doses and at the right times.

Think about this:

Researchers from Europe and Israel are working right now on a tiny dispensing system called IntelliDrug. Their goal is to create parts small enough they can fit into a false tooth placed in the back of the mouth. The device will release a specific amount of medication at certain intervals so patients receive the proper dosage right on schedule.

This invention, crafted by an Israeli dentist, could pick up the slack for people who forget to take medicine and could save lives for those whose lives depend on scheduled drug therapy. It could also allow for better absorption of medication into the body.

The IntelliDrug device will deliver medicine directly into the bloodstream through the lining of the cheek around the mouth. Saliva, meanwhile, mixes with the drug and carries it throughout they body in a manner more efficient than just swallowing a pill every few hours.

While researchers hope to one day turn their device into a replacement tooth, the apparatus -- consisting of a stainless steel housing, a pump, custom valves, a microprocessor, batteries, and a reservoir for the drug pill -- currently comes in the form of a block the size of two teeth. It is strapped to the the side of teeth and hugs the inside of the cheek. The unit can be removed, and a technician can refill the drug reservoir, clean the unit, and change batteries when necessary.

Clinical trials on pigs are ongoing. Human testing is expected to begin by the end of the year.

The family has asked that they not be identified by name as they grieve the loss of their family member lost to a massive overdose of the chemotherapy drug 5-fluorouracil. Last week, a 43-year-old mother of three, died from a massive chemotherapy drug overdose mistakenly administered by a portable pump used primarily by gastrointestinal, genito-urinary and head and neck cancer patients. The fatal dose of 5-fluorouracil was 24 times what was intended.

According to the report, a nurse programmed the wrong information into the woman's pump. Another nurse checked the pump but failed to notice the error. Four days later, the woman was dead. The Cross Cancer Institute calls this mistake one of the center's worst nightmares but they will not hide the mistake.

While the nurses who made the error are receiving counseling over the mistake they made that led to the mother's death, they will not be disciplined for the error, as the cancer center believes it was not due to negligence. Then what was it due to? There are times when human error cannot be allowed to be made as it can be fatal -- as in this case. There are some professions that require an absolute fail-safe set of procedures and practices that do not allow for human error. A standard of professional excellence in carrying out one's job that this type of incident does not happen -- even once. Because human life can be lost. How do you remedy that error -- right that wrong? I feel for this family, for the children left motherless due to the errors made by two nurses.

According to the woman's oncologist, she had a 75 percent chance of surviving her cancer diagnosis. Tragically, she did not survive treatment. An investigation by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices is underway, and the cancer center states it will implement any changes recommended.

Herceptin -- a targeted breast cancer drug used to treat women who are Her2 positive -- has received rave reviews and has shown great promise in cutting down on recurrence of this aggressive form of breast cancer. Given over the course of 52 weeks, Herceptin is wondrous for its lack of short-term side effects. There is no hair loss, no compromise of blood counts, no significant sickness. For me, fatigue may have resulted from this treatment -- but it's unclear to me really whether it was the Herceptin or the two small boys I have living in my house that most contributed to my occasional exhaustion. Regardless, I functioned well while receiving Herceptin for the past year -- and I did not suffer anything more than a twinge of pain when my port was accessed for each treatment. In the short term, I have fared well. In the long term, the jury is still out.

What is hanging so toxic in the air? According to the latest data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, benzene from cars and trucks that burn gasoline or diesel fuel. Other toxins causing higher risks for cancer where air pollution is the worst are naphthalene and acetaldehyde -- also from vehicles.

Autoblog, one of our sister blogs, has launched AutoblogGreen, which will feature posts on living an eco-friendly lifestyle in all things auto-related in green car culture. They will be keeping a close ear to the ground and fingers to the keyboard to give readers an up-to-the-minute accounting on the auto industry's efforts to create transportation that is fuel-efficient and cleaner for the environment.

From our perspective here at The Cancer Blog, transportation going green means a giant step towards a cancer prevention environment. From air pollution to alternative fuels, check AutoblogGreen out! It's a very cool, forward-thinking blog.