March 14 2008 / by futuretalk
Category: Health & Medicine Year: 2015 Rating: 13
By Dick Pelletier
In 2003, Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach, then director of the
National Cancer Institute outlined his goal to eliminate suffering
and death from cancer by 2015. “This prediction does not mean that
we will eliminate cancer by then,” he said, “I don’t know when that
will happen. But the challenge is to understand the disease and
create interventions so that no one will suffer and die prematurely
from cancer.”
Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton supports von Eschenbach’s
goal to end death and suffering from cancer by 2015. If elected,
Clinton promises to end discrimination by insurance companies
against cancer patients and will double the National Institutes of
Health and 
National Cancer Institute budgets. In addition, she will
increase by fivefold the number of patients participating in cancer
clinical trials.
“Cancer is the leading cause of death in the U.S. for people
under age 85,” Clinton says. “One in two men and one in three women
will get cancer in their lifetime, and more than 1,500 Americans
die every day from this dreaded disease. We must strive to change
these awful statistics.”
This makes cancer the second deadliest disease category, after
heart disease. But while mortality rates for heart disease and many
other sicknesses have dropped by more than half since 1950, cancer
death rates have stayed pretty much the same.
Equally dismal are the economic costs associated with cancer. In
2005, the economy suffered losses of more than $200 billion, mostly
due to work time lost from cancer treatments and deaths caused by
the disease.
Experts divide the war on cancer into three phases – detection,
treatment, and monitoring, and many believe that tomorrow’s
nanotech systems offer the best chance for defeating cancer.
Early Detection provides the best chance for patient survival.
Tumor cells typically divide 40-50 times during their life cycle;
but by the time physicians spot the tumor, it is often more than
80% mature and growing too fast to be stopped. However, researchers
believe that soon-to-be-developed nanotech systems will identify
cancer cells much earlier, giving doctors plenty of time for
successful intervention.
Today, Treatment involves chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or
surgery, but these do not always work. However, proposed
nano-devices zero in on cancer cells creating tiny “nano-bubbles”
that destroy cancer without harming neighboring cells. This will
eliminate negative side effects such as hair loss and weakened
immune systems.
Monitoring involves detecting recurring cancer after initial
treatment and remission. Nano-technologists are developing an
easy-to-use sensor that will perform quick cancer checks and
predict the potential danger of tumors. This system will improve
efficiency of point-of-care and clinical testing, and provide near
real-time diagnostics during surgery.
Most researchers consider the approaches described above as
strong likelihood for success. But some cancers are drug resistant
or they mutate after initial therapy and even these futuristic
nano-treatments may be ineffective. This is where a more drastic
approach may be needed.
Futurist Ray Kurzweil believes that to eradicate cancer
permanently will require development of tiny nano-robots that could
become reality by 2025 or before. These “smart” ‘bots will flow
through the bloodstream correcting faulty DNA, keeping our bodies in perfect health
forever.
Get ready to enjoy an amazing cancer-free “magical future.”
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