The Facts
A new cancer pill called AOH1996, coined using the initials and year of birth of Anna Olivia Healey, who died of neuroblastoma at nine years old, has been dubbed the "cancer-killing pill" due to its apparent ability to "annihilate" solid tumors tested in a lab.
The drug targets a protein called proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), which, in its mutated form, helps cancerous tumors grow. Linda Malkas of City of Hope in California said, "PCNA is uniquely altered in cancer cells," which allowed them to target cancer while leaving healthy cells alone.
The Spin
Narrative A
Given the drug's success so far and its emergence from the tragic death of a little girl, this story is nothing but inspirational. AOH1996, in conjunction with existing therapies, has the potential to revolutionize cancer treatment and clear a path toward non-toxic treatments for patients suffering from this horrible disease.
Narrative B
While news of groundbreaking cancer treatments is always welcome, a one size fits all miracle drug is very unlikely. This is because the various cancer cells out there mutate and adapt in the body — just as animals have done through evolution. For example, due to the unique DNA structure of Melanoma, treatments for that disease must be vastly different than for lung cancer.
