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posted by martyb on Sunday May 10 2015, @08:39AM   Printer-friendly
from the protein-powah dept.

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have made discoveries that may lead to better cancer treatment (including improved chemotherapy).

A method to help shorten the road to better cancer treatment has been developed by an international team of researchers. When DNA is damaged, several different proteins start pouring in to repair the damage; their types depend on the damage done. Up until now, it has been common practice to study one protein at a time, but by way of so-called mass spectrometry, researchers are now able to simultaneously see all the proteins that help repair damaged DNA.

[...]The article in Science describes chemotherapy-induced DNA damage, because the researchers wanted to relate their findings to the treatment of cancer. By using this method, Niels Mailand and his research team have discovered that two specific and hitherto un-described proteins play an important part in repairing damaged DNA.

“This new method enables us to quickly get an overview of the entire bag of proteins that are important in terms of repairing damaged DNA. In this process, we have discovered that the two proteins have a specific part to play and attract certain necessary elements to a given spot where DNA-repairs are taking place. In other words, this new technique allows us to put the puzzle together much quicker...”

Abstract of source article (which is paywalled) is here.

 
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  • (Score: 2) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Sunday May 10 2015, @08:49AM

    there's a real good reason that biopsies are performed: it's not just to determine that you really have cancer, rather it's done to determine what the best treatment is.

    However it is common that cancer treatment extends one's life by only a short period of time. It is collossally expensive, chemotherapy is horribly sickening. Chemotherapy agents are quite toxic to humans, it's just that they are modestly - but only modestly - more toxic to cancer cells.

    Were I to be informed that I had a type of cancer for which chemotherapy might extend my life by only a short time, after a great deal of consideration, I decided a few years ago that I would not avail myself of it.

    Better that our limited resources should go to help those for which such resources would make a real difference.

    --
    Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
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  • (Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 10 2015, @08:53AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 10 2015, @08:53AM (#181031)

    "Better that our limited resources should go to help those for which such resources would make a real difference."

    like Kuro5hin? :P