PLEASE READ THIS SECOND FASCINATION LITTLE ESSAY

In Trondheim, Norway

Here is another easy-to-follow article from the NY Times:

http://nyti.ms/1GJRGee

It seems that the American Society of Clinical Oncology is meeting now, in Chicago, leading me to believe that there will be a lot more to report on in the next few weeks.  One of the biggest topics of discussion amongst these people these days is immunotherapy, which we have discussed many times before.  If you read this article – which you should – you will have to remember what is meant by a “checkpoint”, about which I wrote with admirable clarity a few weeks ago:

http://ljb-quiltcutie.blogspot.com/2015/02/please-read-this-fascinating-little.html

You also will benefit by knowing what is meant by “mismatch repair deficiency”.  Briefly: When cells divide they must copy their DNA strands – all several billion “letters” of it.  Inevitably, mistakes are made – darned few, it seems, but some.  These are “mismatches”.  If left alone they constitute a mutation.  Most mutations are benign, but some are lethal.  Thus, evolution has provided us with a complex of proteins that goes down the DNA strand, searching for mistakes.  When one is found, this “mismatch-repair complex” fixes it.  Thus, if one has “mismatch-repair deficiency”, one is up a creek – mutations accumulate, with eventual unpleasant consequences.

The NYTimes article cited above discusses drugs aimed at preventing tumor cells from disguising their malevolent nature under a thick coating of checkpoint proteins (we’ve discussed that before).  Also discussed are drugs to cope with mismatch-repair deficiency, although how they work doesn’t seem to be explained. 

So, these drugs are not exactly the cat’s meow.  First one thing – to date they have only succeeded in buying time – time, in months!   Secondly, they are fiendishly expensive: of the order of $150,000 per year.  Thus, I am not about to leap with joy.  However, the oncologists are excited, so maybe they’re on to something.

This information comes to you courtesy of the research team of Joanne & Dick Ingwall.  As I am their best (well, only) client they plan to move to Bellingham soon, attracted by the mild weather, good fishing, and the aura of subdued excitement.  I am acting as their real estate scout and advisor.