Scientists discover clue to growing new breast tissue

This appeared 5th Jan 2006. At least, that's what it says at the top of the article. (Right click on the title or else you lose this page).

Here's an excerpt:

Researchers suspect that mammary stem cells play an important role in the genesis of some breast cancers. If a stem cell carries genetic errors, it may start producing cancerous breast cells, in effect becoming a “tumour factory”. This may be why some breast cancers return after apparently being eliminated by chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy targets fast-dividing cancer cells, but the stem cells may prove more resistant as they do not reproduce so quickly. This would mean that, although the primary breast cancer is killed by the treatment, abnormal stem cells are left behind to continue turning out cancer cells, restarting the tumour.

“The ultimate objective is to create a drug that will, in effect, switch off breast cancer cells,” Dr Visvader said. “To do this, the exact make-up of genes expressed by normal and rogue stem cells will need to be determined. Then a drug will be designed to engage with and neutralise the faulty feature of the stem cell.”

Reading it made me think about this inspirational thingamajig that was floating around some time back. To learn the value of a year, ask a student who's failed his end of year exams. To learn the value of a month, ask the mother of a premature baby... and so on and so forth. I'm sure you've seen it.

Anyhoo, I'm thinking of someone I know who has breast cancer. She doesn't have long to live. If only they found a way to sort this all out BEFORE she goes... what if the answers come a day after? or a week? or a month? At what point will I NOT think "What a waste... if she had held on just one more day/week/month they might have been able to save her..." 

I feel guilty now. She's still here, now. And yet I'm thinking this way.

To the people in my life who I don't see very often - I'm sorry. I should try harder. I know. But please do understand that there are other people in my life who I'd regret not seeing more than others. (My family, for instance.) And so I try to make extra time for those people - just in case. Just in case their time is up and I never get to see them again. Just in case.

"There's always tomorrow / the weekend / next month"... what if there isn't?