Count to four. One person has just died of cancer. Defined as uncontrollable cell growth, cancer claims millions around the globe, every year. Cancer comes in many forms all over the body. The causes are unknown, though some contributing factors such as smoking, obesity, hereditary traits have been discovered. Currently, the cures for cancer are chemotherapy, stem cell transplantation, biological therapy, and hormone therapy. All three (except stem cell) involve some of the most toxic poisons in the world. They aim at killing the cancer cell. However, the results are mixed and side affects are terrible. Scientists are looking into new methods of dealing with cancer cells. Developed decades ago, endostatin is aimed at starving the cancer cells rather than poisoning them. When a cancer cell is activated it causes blood vessel growth to supply it with nutrients. Endostatin will prevent the vessel growth.
Endostatin, if it works, will save millions of lives. Patients will no longer have to suffer through the terrible side affects of poisoning their body. Family members will not have to waste many hours and a lot of money on drugs with a low chance of success. However, so far during clinical trails it has not proven adequate. The patients being tested on have their hopes shattered after long hours of treatment. Because they die so soon after using endostatin we do not know the long term effects on the human body.
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