The BBC is reporting today that a so called Cancer "danger receptor" has been located. Essentially what has been discovered is a cellular reaction that warns the body of "abnormal cell death," which in turn causes the immune system to fight against the problem.
The existence of such cells has been suspected for a long time. The reason for this is that some cancer treatments which mobilize the body’s immune system seem to have a measure of success combating cancer. The existence of such a cell explains the success of these types of treatment.
The "danger receptor" cell was discovered by doctors in the U.K who are very enthusiastic about their discovery. Dr Caetano Reis e Sousa, at Cancer Research UK's London Research Institute, states that not only will research on such cells improve the success rate of treating cancers, but will also help prevent patients’ bodies from rejecting organs transplanted into them (BBC). And Dr. Lesley Walker hailed the discovery as a huge advance in cancer research that makes this an exciting time to work in the field (BBC)
Cancer is basically a mutation of the cells gone out of control. Such mutations are a natural part of the evolutionary process, which play the central role in allowing creatures to adapt to their environment and evolve. Cell mutation is essential the development of life. The problem is that when this mutation goes wild, as it must occasionally, biological organisms are killed: in other words cancer is the destruction of our own bodies and ending of our lives, by the very activity of our own bodies.
But the fact that cancer is a cellular mutation points to its possible cure. To fight a cellular mutation, you must study cells. This is why the discover of a "danger receptor cell" is so significant to cancer research.
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