Cancer Drug Found; Scientist Annoyed

sporkme writes "A scientist was frustrated when the compound she was working with (called PPAR-gamma) destroyed her sample of cancer cells. Further research revealed that the substance was surprisingly well suited as a cancer treatment. Lab test results on mice resulted in the destruction of colon tumors without making the mice sick." Quoting: "'I made a calculation error and used a lot more than I should have. And my cells died,' Schaefer said. A colleague overheard her complaining. 'The co-author on my paper said, "Did I hear you say you killed some cancer?" I said "Oh," and took a closer look.' ... [They found that the compound killed] 'pretty much every epithelial tumor cell lines we have seen.'" Update: 02/15 17:27 GMT by KD : As reader CorporalKlinger pointed out, PPAR-gamma is a cellular receptor, not a compound; and this news is not particularly new.

Comments

"Oh"

[robably]

"The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not "Eureka!" but "That's funny..." "
-- Isaac Asimov

Asimov

[jamie]

"The co-author on my paper said, 'Did I hear you say you killed some cancer?' I said 'Oh,' and took a closer look..." (Katherine Schaefer)

"The most exciting phrase to hear in science is not 'Eureka!' but 'Hmm, that's funny'..." (Isaac Asimov)

Re:Terrible article, facts wrong

[cplusplus]

They haven't tested primary cell lines (non-cancerous cells). Nor have they tested any tox in mice.

Maybe you missed the part of the article where they state, "It also killed colon tumors in mice without making the mice sick, they reported in the journal International Cancer Research."

Fluxalicious

[Tablizer]

"Damned Flux Capacitor made my car shoot up strait through the garage roof and float around. Took me three @#&*! days to get the damned thing down and another 8 to fix the garage."