A similar situation arises in the development of a human being from a single fertilized egg. The single original cell evolves, under the influence of a highly conserved program, into over 300 different cell types that together form the liver and kidney, the brain and heart. The key to control is communication. Cells act as individual entities that, when they communicate properly, self-assemble into normal organisms. If the rules of the game are changed, new gene combinations arise that play a new game, called cancer.
Theory meets reality in the world of cancer chemotherapy.
Current treatments with antineoplastic drugs that are designed to kill cancer cells have not been as successful as hoped. Understanding the chaotic rules of the game that cancer cells play may lead to new strategies for its control. Dr. Frazier is pursuing research in toxicokinetic modeling for the United States Air Force at ManTech Environmental Technologies, Wright Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio. All rights reserved.