Scorpion venom -1/3 increased survival

[Guest guest]

brain glioma is a very deadly cancer. these late patients had, avg. , 1/3

longer than most glioma pts. that is a really good start even tho 1.7 mo's does

not sound like much. my first thought was how much that time certainly meant to

the families involved, including pts. do not underestimate the deep satisfaction

of staff working those pts, knowing that even tho it was not a long time the

most of us, for their patients, that time was invaluable.

 

[tom.verhaeghe] wrote:

, " "

< wrote:

>

> Hi Tom,

>

> > The drug's developer, Cambridge, Mass.-based TransMolecular Inc.,

> > reported in 2004 that a study involving 18 patients, the drug

treatment

> > was associated with an increase in survival time from a median of 4.6

> > to 6.3 months

>

> Tom, does this mean that the Tx prolonged survival time by only 1.7

> months (6.3 minus 4.6) months?

>

That is what it says, indeed. That might still be significant in

statistical terms, although I agree it does not look like that much.

However, let us not forget that 6.3 is only the median. Some people

may have lived one or two more years, which is a lot for some cancer

patients.

Another remark would be that the scorpion venom used in this study was

radio-active. I have no idea why, but perhaps to be able to patent it?

The study comes from a drug developing company.

In a way it is a recognition for traditional medicine, in another way

it is not: they altered it.

 

Regards,

 

Tom.