• Question: Are you at the cusp of finding anyhting out about a cure for cancer?

    Asked by babypink to Hywel on 11 Jun 2012. This question was also asked by louisep.
    • Photo: Hywel Owen

      Hywel Owen answered on 11 Jun 2012:

      Cancer is a word used to describe lots of different diseases with different causes and possible treatments. So the idea that there is a single ‘cure for cancer’ is probably a myth. As well as that, it’s a myth that a single person makes a giant discovery all by themselves. Everyone builds on the work of others. So I don’t think there is such a thing as a ‘cusp’.

      In my work we’re looking at a well-known technique – proton therapy – which has been known about for 60 years, and has been used in hospitals for over 30 years. We’re trying to make a better type of particle accelerator that delivers the protons in better ways: faster, more flexibly, and cheaper. Maybe on the way we’ll figure out a ‘trick’ that is really good – we hope so!

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