Irish Cancer research. Late 2009.

[condra]

Not necessarily CFS/ME/XMRV related, but I thought some of you here would find this interesting.

Scientists have discovered a new drug which they claim is able to kill leukaemia, it was revealed.

Researchers maintain the drug, called PBOX-15, can even destroy the cancerous cells in adult patients with a poor prognosis and who have shown resistance to other treatments.

The groundbreaking study was carried out by academics at Trinity College Dublin (TCD), in partnership with University of Sienna, Italy, and is published in the renowned international journal Cancer Research.

Professor Mark Lawler, of TCD's school of medicine, said it could be another three to five years before the drug is used as a life saving treatment.

"We are still at an early stage," he said. "Now we have to move it on to see if there are any side effects and bring it forward as a potential therapy for patients. But it's very exciting. We want to give hope to cancer patients."

and
...

Irish scientists have discovered a wonder drug which they say is able to kill leukemia cells.

Tests show that the drug, called PBOX-15, can even kill cells from patients not benefiting from current treatments.

The ground-breaking work was carried out by researchers at Trinity College in Dublin.

Professor Mark Lawler of the university's Institute of Molecular Medicine described it as an important development.

The discovery is the second major medical breakthrough announced by scientists in Ireland in recent days.

Researchers at University College Cork revealed last week that molecules found in a curry spice were shown to kill oesophageal cancer cells.

The researchers found when they treated oesophageal cancer cells in the laboratory with curcumin -- a chemical found in the curry spice turmeric -- it killed cancer cells within 24 hours.

Their finding was published in the British Journal of Cancer.

Dr Sharon McKenna, lead researcher on the study at the Cork Cancer Research Centre in UCC, said cancer cells resistant to chemotherapy were very sensitive to this compound.

She said there is potential for it to be developed as an agent to treat resistant oesophageal cancer cells.

Dr McKenna said turmeric, the ingredient which gives curry rice its yellow colour, is broken down in the blood.

It is necessary to find a way to ensure the compound stays in the circulatory system for longer to give it time to kill cancer cells.

Dr McKenna said she would now be testing it on other types of cancer.

 

[spit]

interesting, thanks

as if I needed another reason to spend way too much on Indian takeout.

 

[Mark]

Alternatively

I read this a week or two ago and have been trying to source some curcumin. It might be more interesting to explore the natural path with curcumin - you won't be doing your bit for the economy, but there's a certain reassurance in the length of the safety record.