It's Not Science Fiction!

[R. Richard]

You gotta read the article. It concerns a woman who has been dead for decades. However, some of her cells will probably never die.

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/Henrietta-Lacks-Immortal-Cells.html

 

[Handley_Page]

If some (many) of the HeLa cells can be carried on motes of dust, etc., I wonder if those same cells may have had an effect on the later population ?
As a flight of fancy, how many cancers may be due to her cells ?

 

[R. Richard]

If some (many) of the HeLa cells can be carried on motes of dust, etc., I wonder if those same cells may have had an effect on the later population ?
As a flight of fancy, how many cancers may be due to her cells ?

Probably none. You must remember that the cells were used in clinical environments and those environments are usually kept sterile and precautions are taken to prevent accidental infections from lab cultures.

 

[Verdad]

I didn't know that story. Thanks, RR. Interesting.