2 replies to this topic

[Shoe]

From the article:

Exclusive: Dramatic discovery by Jewish-American scientists could change world; anti-radiation medication proves effective, safe in tests. Further experiments to be fast tracked, FDA approval possible within 1-2 years.

Medication that can protect humans against nuclear radiation has been developed by Jewish-American scientists in cooperation with a researcher and investors from Israel. The full story behind the dramatic discovery will be published in Yedioth Ahronoth's weekend edition.

Gudkov's discovery may also have immense implications for cancer patients by enabling doctors to better protect patients against radiation. Should the new medication enable cancer patients to be treated with more powerful radiation, our ability to fight the disease could greatly improve.

Sounds highly interesting, although the article doesn't say anything about how cancer cells might respond to this medicine. If they also get protection, that's not a good thing.

[niner]

Sounds highly interesting, although the article doesn't say anything about how cancer cells might respond to this medicine. If they also get protection, that's not a good thing.

It's an apoptosis inhibitor. Isn't apoptosis often defective in cancer cells already?

[Lazarus Long]

Radiation sickness and cancer are two different things. In the immediate aftermath of an overexposure cells begin dying off so fast that the entire body shuts down but it is not cancer. In fact it is very much like an autoimmune response that triggers massive apoptosis.

Prolonged exposure begins cellular mutations which lead to cancers, which is also an apoptosis inhibitor but that is much later. If you survive the radiation sickness then the odds you will still develop cancer someday are great but one thing at a time. First you must live to fight another day.

Think of radiation sickness more like a massive internal burning of cellular tissue rather than a malignancy. It is similar to how severe burns impact outer tissues except it is internalized throughout the entire body. Depending on how severe inhibiting cellular die-off could keep enough damaged cells alive and impaired long enough for replacement tissue to start growing back and other therapies to keep you alive.