A hunk a-hunk of burning hope
Show tunes haven’t been the norm – more likely blues and dirges.
But it may be time to “Start Spreading the News”?
Not quite ready to shout out the “Hallelujah Chorus”
But definitely a moment to hum along with “Climb Every Mountain”
“No, No, Nanette“ is on the verge of transforming into No, No malignant tumors!
Quietly put into play years ago by Rice University researchers picking through their notes for a little silver bullet.
They composed a tiny plan
Seriously: nano-sized tiny.
But that wasn’t the size of their hopes and dreams.
Desperate doctors and cancer patients called from their bedsides. They said they “Heard It Through the Grapevine…”
But all Jennifer West and Naomi Halas could whisper was “Hang on, Sloopy! Hang on!” Their work progressed slowly – building to a crescendo this week.
These maestros of the small minuet steps – these specialists of nanotechnology have struck a golden chord.
In concert with their team, a new medical treatment for cancer is developing: it’s “Love is like a Heat Wave“
Tiny nano-sized glass particles can be covered with gold which allows them to absorb infrared light and become very hot.
These bright nanoshells may be injected intravenously into cancer patients. Surprisingly, the coated particles collect in tumors but not healthy tissues.
Just the right tune!
With an infrared light source, the nanoshells may be heated hot enough to destroy tumors but the healthy surrounding tissue isn’t damaged.
After almost a decade of work, scientists know the nanoshells aren’t toxic and will only gather in tumors not healthy blood vessels.
Wild applause!
“It’s a Small World After all!”
No longer poison the entire body hoping to kill one malignant invader.
Requests for encores!
Possible a rousing chorus of “Tomorrow, Tomorrow, I love ya’ tomorrow”?
“The Eyes of Texas” have been scrutinizing a small trial of head and neck cancer patients with smiles.
Now a larger group of lung cancer patients are lining up to “Shout, put your hands up. Shout!”
Trials begin in Cancer treatment Centers of America hospitals in Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Chicago.
If successful, approval by Food and Drug Administration might come next year
Here’s hoping it’s “Happy Trails” to all of you.
’cause it would be a “Blue, Blue Christmas Without You-all.”
Cancer screening: it’s worth a polka!
Join the dance and live,
Phil the Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge
Read more:
- “Rice Team Achieves a Cancer Milestone“
- “Sneaking drugs into cancer cells with carbon nanotubes“
- “Gold nanoparticle prostate cancer treatment found safe in dogs” (w/video).
Related post: “Thought in any direction”
How great this news sung out in November?
Bloggers for Movember is a movement to promote mental health and/or cancer issues.
Discover more about it from Le Clown, whose post became Freshly Pressed.
You can grow a mustache in support or try a less ticklish alternative use Le Clown’s post as your guide.
Expect to see more from bloggers next week about Movember.
- LeClown and others are holding posts until Monday to show solidarity with the victims of Hurricane Sandy.
- Just a heads up here – maybe you want to participate?
Discover more from Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge
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23 Comments
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Having, like so many other, suffered loss due to cancer, I cannot begin to tell you how marvelous it would be if this truly does work. All fingers and paws crossed this side.
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MD Anderson here has also been trying to individualized and target cancer treatments in several ways. This looks like a real breakthrough. Definitely hoping this works. Thanks for wandering over
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Many years too late to save my mother, but if it can save everyone else I’ll be joyful. Brilliant news, gold-plated in fact!
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Us, too. But would be magnificent. James Bond would definitely approve “Live and Let Die”. Thanks for cheering along
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What fabulous news! And how intriguing that those little gold nanothingys gather only in tumors …
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Nano technology intrigues me…I always stood near the nano researchers at one of the research centers hoping their smarts would ooze over to me…our group could always tell when they we conducting experiments, the lights would dim and there would be this be this buzzing…all sorts of electromagnetic warning sings up. Nano is such a new world to explore – so much promise. Thanks for buzzing over
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Awesome, awesome post. And really terrific news.
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Cheers from all! Thanks for adding to the applause
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This is great news, gold really 😉 I’ve always believed cancer treatments while the best currently available had side effects almost more horrendous than the manifestations of the illness, so glad am am heartened to see such wonderful progress in this area… and will be humming along to hunk, a hunk… now for the rest of the morning 🙂
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Great post, great news! My son and husband always wear a mustache. I’ll try to get them to shave and start a new one next November.
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This mustache thing is getting going – saw it on the local news last night…even the 2 women anchors. Quite hairy! Thanks for getting to the root of things
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Hope the movement continues strong!
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Incredible shots!
And cancer screening is defiinitely worth a polka…
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Thanks. As James Bond would say, “Live and Let Die”.
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Fingers crossed that the trials are successful and a new safer weapon is available to fight cancer! I don’t of anyone who’s life hasn’t been touched by it in some way. This would be an amazing advancement.
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Nano technology has lots of potential in many areas – but this one will touch most people’s lives at one point of another. Wild applause (and fingers crossed for the trials) Thanks for stopping by
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That is quite a breakthrough after years of research. I’ll be curious to see how further testing goes and if the FDA does approve it.
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It looks like these trials will go on for at least a year – there are bound to be others – so we’ll see. Hopefully a step in the right direction
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Seems like so many people are getting cancer lately – even kids. Hope this new cure is successful.
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It may be people just died of complications and didn’t even know cancer was there? Man’s best friends, dogs, are benefitting, too. Paws crossed more progress is made quickly. Thanks for wandering over
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This sounds very promising. Hoping to hear more great news about this. Thanks for the heads up.
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Thanks, Phil for spreading the news…early detection is always the best but seems to be the hardest to put into action. One never wants to think it can happen to them…much easier to live in denial but often this thinking leads to late detection. Thanks for posting about Le Clown’s work. 🙂
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Wild applause, indeed! 🙂
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