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check for inherent activity and the evaluation of lymphocytes would never meet such overwhelming numbers of challenges, as exposed to the cancer during the animal's life to search for several barriers needed to be passed first; their response therefore induced activity. could afford to be more delayed. Immune cells from respiratory I was aware that the members of the unit had not been previous- passages would also be expected to act rapidly, but they did not ly exposed to this approach; it was new to them. I was also aware appear resistant to the spread and appearance of cancer. Peyer's that they were not in the least interested. patches would protect the small intestine against direct invasion The first question I was asked was by Dr Jose, requesting the from the large bowel cancers as well as blood-borne metastases. I sources and literature supporting this concept as well as dataon __ reasoned that their cancer-killing ability should be visible within previous trials and their conclusions on this issue. minutes. "This experiment hasn't been done before!" I claimed proudly. Others in the laboratory were sceptical, and with reason. Data "But we need to see prior work in this field," he countered. repeated from decades of studies indicated that it would take the "That is a key factor in our accepting experimental protocols!" incubation of 50,000 to 100,000 white blood cells for three days In that instant, I understood an intrinsic flaw in the cancer with cancer cells and immunostimulants for some of these cells to research industry. In order to realise easy acceptance of ideas and __ kill one cancer cell. The effect was often so subtle that radio- receive grants, it was important to show that you were travelling uptake and leakage studies had to be undertaken to detect differ- down the same well-worn path of prior investigations. ences. This involved incubating cancer cells with radioactive iso- "I don't understand," I replied. "Are you telling me that you topes of an agent such as caesium, to allow the cancer cells to won't do this because it hasn't been done before?" absorb it. When damaged, cancer cells would then leak the "It is hard for me to allocate funds to work lacking prior experi- radioactive caesium and that leakage can be measured to indicate mental and data references." (In essence, he meant "yes".) cell damage. I reasoned that the effect would be easily seen on "We have no cure for cancer; we aren't even close. How will light microscopy with oesin uptake. This technique is one where we find it if we don't explore new a red dye is added to the cells. Living avenues?" I did not mean to sound cells have an active pump system and cocky, but all of my hope and patent membranes that stop dye entry, courage were suddenly dissipating. I . whereas damaged and dying cells was being rejected. In that instant, | understood an would be coloured by the oesin, "We are on a strict budget and | intrinsic flaw in the cancer research Control studies using cells from have defined guidelines." i i Peyer's patches that had not been I would not be dismissed; my industry. In order to realise easy exposed to cancer, showed cancer via- chance to save my father demanded acceptance of ideas and receive bility close to 95 per cent. Spleen their acceptance. grants, it was important to show cells from unexposed animals did the "Okay, I'll pay for it!" (The first same. Spleen cells from animals that of many times that this phrase would that you were travelling down the had been carrying the cancer gave me pass my lips, and about the only time same well-worn path of a surprising finding of 100 per cent prior investigations. that I would not regret it.) Dr Jose smiled and relented. "We'll see," he said. "Go do an intensive literature search; we'll start arranging things next week. Your viability of cancer and an actual increase in cancer count after short- term incubation. It appeared that spleen extract from a diseased animal was actually promoting tumour ideas are interesting and worth exploring." growth. I did not pay much attention to that finding at the time; I My father, Isaac, was by now confined to a wheelchair and my was searching for a cure, not riddles. mother, Catherine, catered to his every need and whim. He had Cells from Peyer's patches of mice that had been carrying the been a whirlwind, an active workaholic who delighted in helping cancer surpassed my expectations. As opposed to the 50,000 to the ill. Now confined to a chair and to bed, he exhibited a spirit 100,000 cells destroying one cancer cell as previously mentioned and attitude that I have since come to realise is far from common. over a three-day period, it took one lymphocyte from sensitised Isaac wasted no time cursing his debility but would focus on how aggregates to kill 400 cancer cells in a one-hour-or-less time peri- long he was able to stay in his garden, tending to his plants, oron —_ od. The cancer cells would uptake the red oesin dye and soon col- how active and pain-free he could be on a particular day. lapse. That day, my father and mother awaited my return from the The experiment would be repeated over and over before I conference with anticipation. That night, my home was filled would let myself believe it, before I would show others. Exposed with intense happiness, hope and prayer. to a very small amount of Peyer's patch extracts, the cancer cells would turn red with embarrassment, then shrivel and die. Mass SIMPLE MIRACLES slaughter of an invulnerable enemy—it was intoxicating and deli- The experiment I had proposed was amateurish in its simplicity. cious. The small intestine dealt with foreign challenges from ingested I beckoned for Dr Jose to review the carnage. With just a hint food on a continuous basis. Mechanisms for immunologically of excitement he exclaimed, "They're all dead!" He then added in dealing with harmful agents had to be dramatic, rapid and effec- standard clinical "Vulcan" coldness: "Interesting." tive. Every time an organism entered our intestine, we did not The following weeks were filled with more magic. Tests con- have the luxury of mounting a slow response with temperature, firmed no toxicity to healthy cells from my lymphocyte extracts. lethargy and all the normal physiologic and metabolic features of | They were able to protect animals against cancer inoculations, and an immune response. It had to be eliminated with prejudice and single low-dose treatment was able to keep the animals living finality. longer once they had the disease. Other cancer systems were test- Neighbourhood lymphocytes in the blood and other organs ed, including the hepatoma rat model, with identical successes. SIMPLE MIRACLES The experiment I had proposed was amateurish in its simplicity. The small intestine dealt with foreign challenges from ingested food on a continuous basis. Mechanisms for immunologically dealing with harmful agents had to be dramatic, rapid and effec- tive. Every time an organism entered our intestine, we did not have the luxury of mounting a slow response with temperature, lethargy and all the normal physiologic and metabolic features of an immune response. It had to be eliminated with prejudice and finality. Neighbourhood lymphocytes in the blood and other organs 32 * NEXUS DECEMBER 1997 - JANUARY 1998