In Case You Missed It ...
May 14, 2009 10:00 pm US/Central
North Texas Research Focuses On Fat To Beat Cancer
DALLAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
New research being done right here in North Texas may lead to a breakthrough that can stop breast cancer in its tracks. Scientists are trying to figure out if fat cells might hold the key.
Carol Baker of Dallas lives life out loud. When she was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer, she attacked it head on.
"I sent out an email to everybody to announce this diagnosis and made it very clear that I'm not afraid, and they shouldn't be either," Baker said.
Every week inside U.T. Southwestern, Baker receives chemotherapy while several buildings away, researcher Dr. Philipp Scherer works to find more ways to kill her cancer.
"Our main focus of our work is directed towards studying the physiology of adipose tissue, or fat," Dr. Scherer explained.
Armed with a recent $120,000 grant from Susan G. Komen For The Cure, Dr. Scherer is searching for a link between fat cells in breast tissue and cancer cells.
"It turns out that interaction between the fat cell and the cancer cell is extremely important for the cancer cells progression to further growth," he said.
Dr. Scherer believes once they find that link between the fat and cancer cells, they may be able to break it. That could lead to more specific therapeutic strategies designed to target that link thereby slowing the tumor growth. His work also involves the use of certain diabetes drugs that may actually help kill the cancer.
"We propose that we could use these anti-diabetic drugs for anybody who suffers from breast cancer," he said.
He believes these drugs can help strengthen fat cells, making them more resistant to invasion by the cancer. That in turn would make the tumor weaker and more susceptible to chemotherapy drugs, killing it faster. Dr. Scherer hopes to begin a small clinical trial within a year or two.
For Carol Baker, she hopes the scientist's research will help women like her down the road. But until then, she says she'll use the power of laughter to boost her chemo.
"In life, part of my value system is that fun is important, so, there's certainly no reason to not have fun here," Baker said.
Dr. Scherer's grant was part of $60 Million in research money handed out by Susan G. Komen For The Cure this year.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Popular Slideshows On CBS11TV.COM
RAW VIDEO: 100-Mile Police Chase
Click to enlarge
Dallas Man Killed Overnight By Irving Police 1 hr 20 mins ago 
Princeton Family Thankful For Transportation 16 mins ago 
Stumble It!
Reporting
