Our body is under silent surveillance by a patrolling police force - our immune system
The epigenome provides a toolbox for tackling many kinds of cancer
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The enemy within
Dr Lindsey Goff explores new ways to thwart cancer
February 2008
Cancer is the ‘enemy within’, the criminal element that upsets the harmony of our body’s cellular community. Our internal police force, our immune system, does all within its powers to hunt down and disarm these troublemaking cells. Yet its efforts are often thwarted as the cancer becomes more unruly and eventually makes its escape. Research has now shown that the epigenome holds a key to cancer’s escape and what’s more, by manipulating the epigenome it looks like cancer is nearer to being recaptured.