I don't follow it at all, so mebbe this sort of thing is common. But it just seems odd to me to read about two discoveries related to treating cancer happening so close together. I'm paranoid that way. Get over it. So, earlier this week was the guy who figured out how to filter cancer cells out of the blood. Now this:

Researchers discovered that a large protein, which forms a protective shield around cancer cells and prevents them from causing secondary tumours, is attacked by a small protein that exists in the blood. ... Dr Lu-Gang Yu, from the University's School of Clinical Sciences, explains: "MUC1 on the cell surface prevents the cancer cells from attaching to the blood vessel wall which causes secondary tumours. We have discovered that a small protein called galectin-3, attacks MUC1 and breaks up its protective shield, forcing large areas of the cancer cell to become exposed. The exposed areas of the cell allow the cancer to attach to the blood vessel wall. The cancer cells then eventually penetrate the blood wall to form tumours at secondary sites.

What the hell's going on? What's with the surge in discoveries of late? Or have i just been missing all the other ones since talk about proteins and vessel walls is hardly an exciting topic? Or mebbe they have to get this problem off the table to make way for the next big bringer of death. I am the Bringer of Good Cheer.

Cancer's been a big problem for a long time. The American Cancer Society prolly gets tons of money donated to them for research and still they haven't been able to come up with a cure. My paranoid side says this is because more money can be made from treating cancer than it can from curing cancer. There hasn't really been a cure for anything discovered since polio in 1955. What the hell are they doing with all that research money? Redecorating?

Mebbe next week i'll read about the discovery of a way to protect MUC1 from galectin-3 and how the filter can be used to capture cancer cells and coat them in MUC1. I can't wait.