Novel/Unconventional Methods for Cancer Treatment (7)

Converting cancer cells back to normal cells (7)

Yet another general strategy in cancer treatment is to convert cancer cells back to normal cells or stem cells.  At first, this may sound strange or even ridiculous.  However, it does make sense if we think it over carefully. 

As we mentioned before, most cancer cells are derived from normal cells and they are like brothers/sisters.  In an analogy, this is similar to the human society in that most criminals were good people before they commit some crimes.  Many times, it is because something bad happens to a person to create a situation for the person to commit a crime.  For example, continued attraction by money or sexual reason can create a situation for someone to commit a crime (i.e., normal cells to become cancerous cells).  However, if the person has been well trained and/or disciplined, many of these people could be re-educated and gradually become normal good people (i.e., cancer cells to become normal cells).  One of the new strategies to treat cancer is based on this principle.  However, this is not an easy task. For example, a number of genes in the nuclei of cancer cells may have to be modulated so that the cells can be “re-educated and/or guided” back to become normal cells.  

Furthermore, if certain drugs can reverse the process and “normalize” cancer cells, why can’t we use the same strategy to prevent normal cells to become cancer cells?  In other words, if one can avoid the cancer causing factors, the chance of getting cancer (risk factor) will be significantly reduced.  This is an important strategy of cancer prevention.

If this strategy, reversing cancer cells back to normal cells, can be successfully developed and used, I think it could become one of the best ways to deal with cancer.  This is just like what the ancient Chinese war strategist, Sun Tze, said, conquering your enemy without a war is the best strategy.  Unfortunately, researchers are still working hard in this area and it could take a while for this strategy to become practical.

Scientists are making real progress in the area of cell-to-cell transition between different types of cells.  For example, a process called epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) converts epithelial cells (differentiated cells) back to mesenchymal stem cells.  EMT occurs in wound healing and other some biological processes.  For another example, Dr. Panos Anastasiadis and colleagues at Mayo Clinic discovered a potential mechanism of reprogramming cancers cells.

© Jiajiu Shaw, 2016

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