I think that any "grassroots" advocacy is better than no advocacy...
Your letter is one of millions that is filtered through to the government funded health organizations...
The Kanzius approach is nothing new and similar testing in different formats at multiple research centers are being performed throughout the US !!! Some in vivo.
The Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program from the U.S. Dept of Defense has funded several of these types of targeted therapy research projects. I typed "nanoparticle" in the search bar at the CDMRP website and came up with the following link to several research programs using nanoparticle technology.
http://cdmrp.army.mil/search/eoh2008...=nano+particle
My not so scientific description of targeted therapy:
Targeted therapy works by way of "sticking" a protein to the nanoparticle (ie, gold, or some kind of chemotherapeutic agent) and that protein seeks cancer cells (or vice-versa). This delivery system is a mini guidance system that targets the cancer cell and either kills the cancer cell by way of administering heat or chemo...
There still are issues with dormant tumor cells that don't attract the protiens; issues with adjacent tissue being damaged and other side effects... So, despite the promise this shows, it is still not a sure-fire cure. Well, if anything its a huge postponement of the cancer recurring. And one of the best bets in the future of cancer care.
Interestingly, the targeted therapy was originally developed by a big oil company that hired some physicists to "hide" lead particles in gasoline. After years of the scientists not being able to hide the particles (because of combustion) the big oil company gave up. Some of those scientists applied what they learned to medicine and now here we are.
My point is that the cure for cancer may very well come from some other technological advance in an unrelated field. We need funds to improve education and incentives to retain the brightest people in research. Many research facilities do their best- but when an oncologist can make $400,000 in private practice and a research scientist only makes $130,000... the incentive is clear. And I don't blame them.
Maria