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The Cure for Cancer Might be: HIV

Posted by Hemos on from the probably-not dept.

RGautier writes "Wired News has published that Scientists have successfully modified the AIDS-causing HIV in such a way that it can attack metasticized melanoma (cancer cells). The impact of genetic research on cancer research is in and of itself amazing. To mix this with the strategy of using one strong enemy against another is brilliance! Research will continue, obviously, but they are already reporting success on living creatures." Just think: between HIV and carrots we'll be all set.

2 of 668 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Might want to downplay the HIV thing by networkBoy · · Score: 5, Interesting

    While this may be good for curing cancer, I would fear if this tech got in the wrong hands:
    "Scientists could customize the system to target any protein on the surface of a cell"
    Target the protiens on a group of humans, Kurdish, Jewish, Korean, whatever. Many groups of humans have some genes that are particular to their genetic heritage. Target those geenes to make something worse, instant selective genocide.
    -nB

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  2. Re:Is there any chance... by jamesoutlaw · · Score: 5, Interesting
    This link has some interesting information about the origin of HIV... including this:

    Three of the earliest known instances of HIV infection are as follows:

    1. A plasma sample taken in 1959 from an adult male living in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo
    2. HIV found in tissue samples from an American teenager who died in St. Louis in 1969.
    3. HIV found in tissue samples from a Norwegian sailor who died around 1976.

    Analysis in 1998 of the plasma sample from 1959 was interpreted5 as suggesting that HIV-1 was introduced into humans around the 1940s or the early 1950s, which was earlier than had previously been suggested. Other scientists have suggested that it could have been even longer, perhaps around 100 years or more ago.