I don't pay attention anymore. Too many articles about doctors "ecstatic" over treatments that improve survival by only 2%, or extend a life by 6 just months. That's not hope, that's a tease.
As it is, the new tumor-shrinking drugs are working to shrink tumors- but NOT to improve patient survival in the least. They're just dying with smaller tumors, is the only result. Very disappointing.
Bone marrow transplants for blood diseases (and, now, umbilical cord for these and some other metabolic diseases such as muscular dystrophy, possibly sickle cell anemia and even lupus and rheumatoid arthritis) are working, and have worked for years. Since the process wipes out the old immune system, rejection is not the problem that it is with other organ transplants.
My grand daughter had an umbilical cord bone marrow transplant at 15 months old - due to bone marrow failure after being born unable to make white blood cells sort of like the "bubble boy" - at Fort Worth's Cooks Children's Hospital in 2001. She's cured and healthier than her daddy or aunt were. No medicines, no side effects as far as we know, and she never even has an ear infection.
Why doesn't the media give the attention that these cures deserve?