Judah Folkman

Thanks for this informative article, granted that Avastin is a blockbuster drug but doesn't it only extend lifespan by a few months? These biotech therapies for cancer (Erbitux, Velcade, Nexavar etc) cost tens, if not hundreds, of thousands that could perhaps be better spent on primary care, early detection and prevention.

Re: # 1 Haroon Sahib,
Is it not possible that cost of drugs would come down in time as science and technology advances? I think it is tremendous that there are, at least, potential treatments.

I believe you're correct in saying that Avastin has only been shown to extend lifespan by a few months. However,

I think my earlier comment got chopped, while trying to insert a link to Rakesh Jain's work featured on Scientific American. The article is titled "Taming Vessels to Treat Cancer" and suggests that more dramatic improvements may be possible by using anti-angiogenic drugs synergistically with other agents. I think at this point, it is impossible to gauge the significance of anti-angiogenic treatments and understand precisely how well they work. They might very well fall by the wayside, but hope springs eternal...

Excellent article.....indeed, we are indebted to people like Judah Folkman....