APPROACHES TO CANCER CURE!

As we are moving forward to cancer cure, one realizes several facts

1.  Translational research reveals to us that Medical science is too much compartmentalized.
- Our biologists focus on giving us Molecular basis, chemistry basis to various organelles and even smaller molecules important in the patho-physiology, homeostasis, metabolism at cell level.
- Our Biotech and /or pharmaceutical companies focus on taking this information and developing localized therapeutic targets.  They operate under significant stress to be first and patented!
- Clinical researcher take these  target therapy into clinical trials
- Our Medical Oncologists await the results of clinical trial to use the drug and formulate patterns of treatments based on experience on broader population (Phase IV post market tracking).

At each step, necessary check and balances occur, but it is also true that information is lost, diluted or missed.  This slows down translational research results' implementation. An integrated approach will allow for faster pace of implementation.  We need a TRANSLATIONAL  ONCOLOGY CLINIC WHERE ALL GROUPS WILL SIT TOGETHER AND PRIORITIZE THE THINGS TO DO!

2. Cure is not going to be the same for every cancer.   The reason is in some cancers there are DRIVER Oncogenes, in others, there are DRIVER Pathways.  At least so far, evidence seems to suggest that the success in targeting steps in pathways seems more promising in hematologic malignancies then in treatment of solid tumors.  This impression may change as we move forward.  We are now seeing response rates of 70+ percent in lung cancer when the right driver oncogene is disabled.  This is new!

3. One of the major clinical differences between a basal cell cancer of the skin and  Melanoma is in their ability to spread and multiply.  And one cannot talk about multiplication without looking at events in the Podosomes where actin, paxillin, cortactin and integrin B are main events.  We are reviewing the literature to see what has been accomplished with these potential targets!  Many pathways start in the Podosome and a whole lot of Enzymes are also here!

4. ACTIN (closely liked to 2nd law) is the core of the cell Cytoskeleton and the nervous system of the cell.
What types of Microfilaments/Microtubule/Actin exist,  can some anti-Actin work better than others...? Its relationship with metabolism and physiology of CA++/Calmodulin?  This is important stuff for Brain tumors!
We are working hard at CRBCM!