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Cancer Cell Filter

Scientist came up with a way to filter cancer cells and stem cells out of blood. He has figured out what types of proteins attract cancer cells and stem cells. By coating tubes with a particular protein and running blood through the tube, they can get those cells to stick to the walls and either give them a trigger to destroy themselves or harvest them.

This procedure can be done in vivo (in the body) or in vitro (outside). The thinking is that such a device could be implanted in the body prior to surgery to remove a tumor because the surgery usually causes cancer cells to be released into the body. The filter could then capture and destroy the cancer cells instead of allowing them to flow thru the body, causing metastasis - cancer cells spreading from the primary location to a seconary location and forming a new tumor.

So, how much do you want to bet that if this new discovery really works as well as they say, it will be sparingly used and will cost an atrocious amount and your insurance company won't touch it? Wouldn't want to really find a way to keep cancer from getting bad. That would cut into the pharmaceuticals' profit margins.

By min | January 8, 2007, 3:17 PM | Science