Scientists Identify Compunds that block cancer growth

Researchers from the Cancer Institute at NYU Langone Medical Center have identified three compounds that combat cancer in an innovative way. The compounds block the Wnt communication in cells, which was a previously unheard of approach in cancer research. The Wnt Signaling pathway has been shown to play a role in cell growth, and if it were blocked cells would not reproduce. These compounds have shown that they can suppress cancer cells from reproducing without harming other normal cells. These compounds will be able to inhibit growth in colon cancer, breast cancer, and other cancers that have been previously incureable. I believe that this is a novel step in the direction of curing cancer. There might be side affects to these compounds (they go unnamed in the article) in humans, but they are promising. Even though I'm not an expert on cancer research, I think that the best way to fight or kill cancer is to keep the individual cells from communicating with each other. These suppressants of the Wnt signaling pathway may stop some cancers, but they are only effective against cancers that use this as a way to communicate. Other treatments will have to be developed for cancers that use other forms of communication. http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2011/04/14/small_molecules_inhibit_growth_of_human_tumor_cells.html