: Epigenetics
Genes Sleeping on the Job
New Therapies
Based on a Better Understanding of Cell Biology
An interesting new clinical trial
has opened up for CLL patients, one that may have potential for
low toxicity as well as good efficacy. As a refreshing change
from the usual heavy doses of chemotherapy, this trial is based
on using very low doses of drugs, often as little as ten times
lower than the amounts used under standard regimens. The
rationale for this approach is equally interesting. The DNA in a
cell's nucleus is a vast library of information which normally
defines and regulates how the cell functions.
In cancer cells, however, the information retrieval mechanism is
often at fault. The idea here is to use just enough drugs to
correct this fault, and thereby allow the cancer cell to kill
itself. Click here to read
Epigenetics.
|
