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Cancer Therapy with Radioactive Scorpion Venom

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the suzie-morphs-into-a-stinkbug dept.

BostonBTS writes "Researchers from TransMolecular, Inc. have used chlorotoxin -- a component of giant yellow scorpion venom -- to target radioactive treatments for the deadly brain cancer glioma. From the article: 'In the study, 18 patients first had surgery to remove malignant gliomas, a lethal kind of brain tumor. Then doctors injected their brains with a solution of radioactive iodine and TM-601, the synthetic protein. The solution bound almost exclusively to leftover tumor cells, suggesting that it could be combined with chemotherapy to fight cancer. Furthermore, two study patients were still alive nearly three years after the treatment.' Their paper is slated for publication in the August issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology."

13 of 115 comments (clear)

  1. with great power. .. by macadamia_harold · · Score: 4, Funny

    Researchers from TransMolecular, Inc. have used chlorotoxin -- a component of giant yellow scorpion venom -- to target radioactive treatments for the deadly brain cancer glioma.

    Just so long as they remember, "With great power comes great responsibility."

    --
    Push Button, Receive Bacon
  2. Cool by Eightyford · · Score: 2, Funny

    Well that sounds like a pretty cool movie. Is Bryan Singer directing?

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    Religion for nerds. Stuff that really matters
  3. SHUDDER by Eightyford · · Score: 3, Funny
    Giant yellow Israeli scorpions live in the deserts of the Middle East and grow to about 4 inches long.
    So why are people fighting over land in that part of the world?
    --
    Religion for nerds. Stuff that really matters
    1. Re:SHUDDER by pete-classic · · Score: 5, Funny
      So why are people fighting over land in that part of the world?


      Says the guy with "godgab" as his god damned signature.

      Un-fucking-believable.

      -Peter
    2. Re:SHUDDER by wirelessbuzzers · · Score: 5, Funny

      So why are people fighting over land in that part of the world?

      They want the part that isn't infested with 4-inch long yellow scorpions.

      --
      I hereby place the above post in the public domain.
  4. Yeah, but... by EnsilZah · · Score: 2, Funny

    Where do we find a vault-dweller to hunt some of those rad scorpions for us?

  5. Injected their brains?? by XanC · · Score: 3, Funny

    Sign me up for that!<servo>

  6. Re:Radioactive Scorpion Venom by StikyPad · · Score: 1, Funny

    Radioactive Scorpion Venom -- It's not just offtopic in discussions which don't involve radioactive scorpion venom anymore!

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    https://www.eff.org/https-everywhere
  7. People, wake up! by Chris+Tucker · · Score: 3, Funny

    This is just some insane publicity stunt by Stan Lee for the "Who Wants To Be A Superhero" TV show!

    Injecting yourself with radioactive venom doesn't give you superpowers.

    God KNOWS I've tried!

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    1. Re:People, wake up! by steveo777 · · Score: 3, Funny
      Wish I could tell you which Family Guy episode it was, but I think they were taking fan mail and doing TV shows with them. The family got super powers and took over the town. Mayor Adam West announces that he's going to roll in radioactive goo and later shows up in the doctor's office. The conversations looks like this:

      Doc: I'm sorry, Mayor West, but you've got cancer.

      West: Oh..., no superpowers? Speed? Strength?

      Doc: No, just cancer.

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      This sig isn't original enough, it's time to come up with something witty...
  8. This is why its important to read labels! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Side effects can include nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, and turning into a Marvel supervillian.

  9. How'd they come up with that? by JavaNPerl · · Score: 3, Funny

    Patient: Doc I'm still in terrible pain, is there anything else you can do for my cancer?
    Doctor (whispers): Nurse. What do we have to euthanize this patient and put him out of his misery?
    Nurse (whispers): We got some radioactive scorpion venom, that should be quick.
    Doctor: 100 CCs of radioactive scorpion venom, stat!
    -NURSE INJECTS VENOM-
    Patient: I feel better.
    Doctor & Nurse in unison: Holy Sh*t!

  10. Re:More treatments by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny
    So my long-winded point is that there (in tropical forest) are millions of potential cancer cures out there...
    And millions of potential nasty new diseases. Better safe than sorry - I say we nuke'em.