Do you think they have cured cancer in the Star Trek universe?

[The Rock]

I've always wondered if by Kirk's time, all forms of cancer have been eliminated for humanity.

I know that in the movie Star Trek: First Contact, Deanna Troi said that "disease, war, and poverty would all be gone in the next 50 years." Of course, we all know that not ALL forms of disease were eliminated, seeing as how Picard was suffering from Irumodic Syndrome in one possible future from the TNG episode All Good Things.

 

[Methos]

i'm guessing so...

Cancer is a cell problem at it's basic level, and it's definitely known that in the Star Trek timeline they have done serious genetic research to the point of genetic manipulation at high levels...

I don't see why they wouldn't have erased the problems caused by cancer prior to the Eugenics wars, even if cancer was around afterwards, i can see it easily being treatable by simply removing the affected organ and replacing it with a synthetic or mechanical organ, like Picard's heart...

With all their scientific knowledge and medical research, like nano-technology, genetic manipulation and so on, i find it hard to believe they hadn't stamped out a disease like cancer...

M

 

[Methos]

and hey, what'd ya know...

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Terra_Nova_(episode)

Bernadette Fuller, a colonist on Terra Nova colony was diagnosed with lung cancer, though it was easily treatable with Enterprise's medical equipment.

There... curable in the ENT timeline, way before Kirk's era lol

M

 

[The Rock]

i'm guessing so...

Cancer is a cell problem at it's basic level, and it's definitely known that in the Star Trek timeline they have done serious genetic research to the point of genetic manipulation at high levels...

I don't see why they wouldn't have erased the problems caused by cancer prior to the Eugenics wars, even if cancer was around afterwards, i can see it easily being treatable by simply removing the affected organ and replacing it with a synthetic or mechanical organ, like Picard's heart...

With all their scientific knowledge and medical research, like nano-technology, genetic manipulation and so on, i find it hard to believe they hadn't stamped out a disease like cancer...

M

Good point!

and hey, what'd ya know...

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Terra_Nova_(episode)

Bernadette Fuller, a colonist on Terra Nova colony was diagnosed with lung cancer, though it was easily treatable with Enterprise's medical equipment.

There... curable in the ENT timeline, way before Kirk's era lol

M

I'll be damned! Lol. Well, that answers that question.

 

[Methos]

lol, sorted

M

 

[The Wormhole]

One look at Memory Alpha's Cancer page and we see that cancer will be cured in the 21st century.

 

[T'Girl]

Cancer is a large number of different diseases lumped together under the umbrella term "cancer." So having the cure for lung cancer (like in the ENT episode), doesn't give you the cure for heart cancer. Or any on the others.

There is a (iirc) prohibition on general generic engineering for Human in the Star Trek universe, so how would a discovery of the genetic sequence for inhibiting the growth of cancer cells help?

They likely are quite good at removing cells from the body that show signs of cancer (as in VOY), and they would have treatments/cures for some.

But they could still get cancer.

")

 

[Pavonis]

Genetic engineering (on humans) is illegal if it is to enhance the patient beyond human biological norms. So genginering could be used to cure cancer in a patient without violating the law.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ AFAIK, the prohibition against genetic engineering does not extend to correcting obvious flaws, birth defects, serious illnesses, etc. So I highly doubt it would prohibit a cancer cure.

 

[RoJoHen]

But they could still get cancer.

Well, sure, people could still get lots of diseases. The point is, however, that these diseases are very easily treated in the Trek universe. A little tricorder scan...a little hypospray...boom, cancer free!

 

[Timo]

Indeed, our medical heroes have faced the ultimate cancer many times, and cured it without effort.

In episodes like "Identity Crisis" or "Genesis", the entire genetic makeup of a character has been altered by a "disease" - in effect, and by definition, a total cancer of the entire body, with every cell out of control. Yet at the conclusion of such episodes, the genetic makeup has been restored. With medicine this powerful, it doesn't matter whether one faces lung cancer or prostrate cancer or brain cancer or whatnot; it all will go away with this generic treatment!

Timo Saloniemi

 

[The Castellan]

If there's no big name drug companies in the future, then yes.

 

[Anji]

A resounding yes!

The revolution has to come. We will move from being a petty, self-centered species to one of ultimate compassion and respect for one another.

The roots of it are here, with us.

 

[The Castellan]

A resounding yes!

The revolution has to come. We will move from being a petty, self-centered species to one of ultimate compassion and respect for one another.

The roots of it are here, with us.

I agree there. Might be what the Mayans were trying to tell us. Might not happen instantly this year, but, perhaps, the catalyst for it will happen soon.

 

[7thsealord]

^ AFAIK, the prohibition against genetic engineering does not extend to correcting obvious flaws, birth defects, serious illnesses, etc. So I highly doubt it would prohibit a cancer cure.

My take as well.

I recall this being specifically said at one point or another (in DS9? Think so, but not 100% certain). Gene engineering to correct flaws, defects, etc. was widely (if not totally) accepted. Using the same tech to make yourself or your offspring not just healthy but "superior" was what tended to cause upset.

 

[T'Girl]

^ That wasn't my read on the matter, but YMMV.

.

 

[Timo]

Curiously, Crusher and Pulaski fiddled with people's genes every other week, and there was never anything wrong with that - but they arguably only restored things back to "normal", rather than to "optimal" or "better".

The government was apparently allowed to do "optimal" and "better", as per TNG "Unnatural Selection". And they appeared to be motivated by the very things denied from the Bashirs: the making of healthier, more successful children. But that's government vs. its subjects for ya. Probably the Bashirs could have gotten a nasty disease gene-manipulated out of their kid by going over the counter, but Julian had a subtler and more ambivalent "defect" whose "curing" the government wanted to limit, out of fear of excesses.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Jefferies]

In all likelihood we will have cured all forms of cancer by the end of this century. And that's the real world. So in the glorious paradise that is Earth in the 24th century of Star Trek, I'm pretty certain that all forms of serious neoplastic disease are no more than a faint memory in the minds of medical historians.

 

[CoveTom]

FYI, here's the relevant quote from DS9's "Dr. Bashir, I Presume," spoken by Bashier:

Starfleet Medical won't see it that way. DNA resequencing for any reason other than repairing serious birth defects is illegal.

 

[Timo]

Although as pointed out already, it's routinely done for reversing the effects of prior DNA resequencing - such as in "Identity Crisis" or "Genesis", and nobody arrests our Chief Medical Officers for it.

Or then "DNA resequencing" is the name of some highly specific and rare treatment, and most forms of DNA tampering (such as those routinely done by our heroes) are perfectly okay from the legal point of view.

Really, the DS9 episode ought to have formulated the rule in the reverse: "DNA resequencing for repairing serious birth defects (such as stupidity) is illegal"...

Since we are stuck with the above statement, though, and can't easily assume the character misspoke, we can at best assume that the technique discussed is a rare exception from the norm.

Timo Saloniemi