Dr Phan Minh Liem, a Vietnamese scientist at MD Anderson Cancer Center, has discovered that 14-3-3 sigma protein can kill malignant tumors. 

“He was willing to spend time to write more than seven pages to give advice on how to treat thyroid cancer, the disease I am suffering from,” said a businesswoman who is over 50. 

She opened a long email she received from Dr Phan Minh Liem from MD Anderson Cancer Center and showed to reporters.

The women underwent major surgery on thyroid system seven years ago. However, she had been informed about the recurrence of the cancer and metastasis. After getting Liem’s e-mail address from a cancer workshop in HCMC, she decided to ask for help from Liem. She could not imagine that she would receive the reply a few days later.

There in the quiet laboratory of MD Anderson Cancer Center, Phan Minh Liem always spends three additional hours after routine working hours every day to answer emails from Vietnamese patients from all over the world. 

The emails with detailed explanations from Liem, the Vietnamese scientist who have been honored four times in the 75-year history of MD Anderson, have brought hope to many people.

Liem went to France to study on Soleil Francophone when he got 15 years old, and then went to the US on a scholarship from VEF (Vietnam Education Fund), the young scientist who is the author of many scientific research works and prestigious works still can maintain two characteristics of a biotechnology student of the HCMC University of Natural Sciences – prudence and humility.

Liem’s scientific work proves that 14-3-3sigma can effectively attack and suppress the energy metabolism of cancer cells.

Many malignant cancer cells cannot absorb nutrients, or derive nutrition but cannot metabolize nutrition into energy once 14-3-3sigma protein is activated.

Once the protein activates strongly, cancer cells will be killed or they still stop growing because their process of nutrition absorption is repressed.

Initial experiments showed that 14-3-3sigm can attack many types of malignant cancer cells and metastases while not affecting healthy cells.

Besides favorable conditions Liem has when working at the world’s largest cancer center, there are other reasons that have made Liem have confidence on the scientific path he has chosen. 

“I have a feeling that many people and many souls are watching me and I don’t feel alone in the scientific path,” he said.

Mong Hong Lee, Editor-in-Chief and founder of Cancer Hallmarks Journal, said he highly appreciated Liem's leadership capability, community spirit and his philosophy.

Source: VietNamNet