How two 1990s discoveries have led to (some) cured cancers, and a Nobel Prize

[AussieNeil]

"This year’s award of the Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine to James P. Allison and Tasuku Honjo, for their work in the early 1990s on immune checkpoint proteins CTLA4 and PD1, is a fitting recognition of how their work has led to a seismic shift in the way we treat cancer.

In a remarkably short time, drugs that inhibit these immune checkpoints (or immune brakes) have transformed the practice of clinical oncology."

More on checkpoint inhibitors by Craig Gedye, Oncologist and Senior Lecturer, University of Newcastle: theconversation.com/how-two...

Unfortunately, checkpoint inhibitors haven't been as successfully applied to CLL - yet, as they have with other cancers. This just goes to show that different cancers require different treatments and perhaps reflects the challenges involved in treating CLL, due to the way it intrinsically interferes with our immune system.

Other Nobel Prize winning work more related to CLL is covered in this recent post by Kwenda:

healthunlocked.com/cllsuppo....

Neil

Photo: This week my wife and I had a very special time just sitting among a small mob of grazing kangaroos in a conservation park not 3 miles (4km) from our home. One of them had a joey grazing from the comfort of her pouch, other than when they took the time to pose for this photo. We saw well over 20 kangaroos and wallabies in our walk through the park, three with joeys in their pouches.

[Stretch1]

Thanks for the really interesting articles and the cute kangaroo photos - I’ll trade a roadrunner, raccoon and Bobcat for one close view of a kangaroo! I’ll also throw in a rattlesnake (on our porch) and a tarantula (crossing the driveway one morning) -

[cllady01 Former Volunteer]

The world of those who are researching, discovering, and developing treatments deserves our attention. Thank you for the links.

HOOROO!

And as Stretch1 has said, I'll trade the recently viewed armadillo (not native, but moving up and over from southwest) and the yet-to-be-seen-by-me alligator that is showing up in this area--moving up from more tropical coastline.

I, however, would not like to be in a kickboxing situation with a ROO.

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator in reply to cllady01]

I've had a wild Joey charge at me a couple of times. He'd jump aside at the last moment. I used to see him and his mother fairly regularly when I was living out in the country. He was nearly as big as his mother by then. I first came across him and his mother when he was having a drink from his mother about a year earlier, when he was far too big to fit in mum's pouch.

I have seen kangaroos start to throw punches at each other, but have yet to personally witness a full on fight.

When I visited the beach yesterday, I came across kangaroo tracks in the sand. They are quite distinctive - pairs of foot marks very close together spaced metres apart when they are jumping along, with tail drag marks when they stop. I've seen kangaroo tracks on the beach before, but not the actual roos. I suspect that they may nibble on seaweed for the salt. Some kangaroo species don't need to drink, getting enough water from their grass diet. Tammar wallabies can drink seawater. Kangaroos are well adapted to the Australian climate. Female kangaroos are always pregnant; they pause the development of the latest embryo until needed.

[cllady01 Former Volunteer in reply to AussieNeil]

Amazing, they could take over the world with that trick of control.

[Jm954 Administrator in reply to AussieNeil]

Amazing Neil!

[Sushibruno]

The pic put a smile in my face love love love animals!😁

[Wroxham]

Love the photo. Lucky you

Sue