https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=195.37.27.58 2026-04-15T00:37:02Z User contributions MediaWiki 1.30.0 https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:1217:_Cells&diff=38596 2013-05-27T10:05:03Z

<p>195.37.27.58: </p> <hr /> <div>One can test the cytotoxicity (the ability to kill cells) on a petri-dish level for cancer cells and healthy cells separately. However, this is often not done, knowingly neglecting selectivity issues one could face if the tests were done. This should be included in the explanation. The part that is written in the moment mainly explains the title text. [[Special:Contributions/130.60.152.125|130.60.152.125]] 08:34, 27 May 2013 (UTC)<br /> <br /> Sorry to correct you. Toxicity is tested for both, healthy cells an cancer cells. But as the targets for drugs are often present in both celltypes, the drug itself affect also both cells. Then you have to choose between certain death by cancer in short time and maybe death or side effects in the long row but survival. It's replacing one evil with another. Only very modern anticancer drugs (e.g. Gleevec) are selective enough to target (mostly) only cancer cells. The drawback is, as cancer in different people is not the same but different cells, you would need different drugs for everybodey affected. One way here lies in the personalized medicine, but that is very expensive...<br /> [[Special:Contributions/195.37.27.58|195.37.27.58]] 10:05, 27 May 2013 (UTC)Richard</div>

195.37.27.58 https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1217:_Cells&diff=38581 2013-05-27T06:37:02Z

<p>195.37.27.58: /* Explanation */</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 1217<br /> | date = May 27, 2013<br /> | title = Cells<br /> | image = cells.png<br /> | titletext = Now, if it selectively kills cancer cells in a petri dish, you can be sure it's at least a great breakthrough for everyone suffering from petri dish cancer.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete}}<br /> <br /> Cancer is one of the most feared sicknesses due to high mortality. Therefore, whenever researcher find a hint for cure, this is hyped in media as major breakthrough. However, in laboratory scale one uses only cultivated cancer cell assays in petri dishes or well plates, thereby preventing influences by or on other parts of a whole body. Present anticancer drugs affect all cells, therefore causing severe sideeffects. The same applies for new drugs developed, if they affect cancer cells they may also affect healthy cells and the side effects may prove to be to severe to be applied.<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> :<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}<br /> [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br /> [[Category:Biology]]</div>

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