4 ms·

Unfortunately, http://www.xkcd.com/1217/ http://www.xkcd.com/1217/ comes to mind...

• masklinn 13y ago
  Doesn't apply here since it's observed in-vivo and hyaluronan had already been linked to cancer: > In the early days of hyaluronan research, scientists were confused by the fact that the molecule seemed to both prevent and cause cancer (the Daily Mail would have loved it). > Since then, we’ve discovered that the sugar’s size is responsible for its dual nature. Bryan Toole from the Medical University of South Carolina, who studies hyaluronan, says that high concentrations of the large versions can stop cells from turning cancerous, while smaller versions can actually promote cancer. In a similar way, the large forms tamp down inflammation while the small ones exacerbate it, which may relevant to cancer since inflammation is tied to several tumours. finally, as far as I understand long hyaluronan doesn't kill cancer, it prevents cancerous growth.