Kryptonite for cancer cells
Tuesday, March 19, 2013 - 08:30
in Health & Medicine
(Phys.org) —Every available cancer drug is susceptible to resistance, according to Mansoor Amiji, Distinguished Professor and chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Tumors grow more quickly than blood vessels, so these unruly masses of cells receive very little oxygen and nutrients, which means they know just how to survive under harsh conditions. They make miniature pumps to actively dispel anything that doesn't serve them well (like drugs), and they evade all the checks and balances that normally maintain healthy cell populations.