“We found significant disparities for treatment of a curable cancer based on race, insurance status, and whether or not treatment was at an academic or community hospital,” said Dr. …
Abl-kinase and leukemia Abl-kinase can turn “on” molecules that are involved in many cell functions including cell growth. In chronic myeloid leukemia, the chromosome that contains the gene for Abl-kinase swaps a section with another chromosome, causing what is known as the “Philadelphia chromosome.” When this mutation takes place in the blood stem cells in the bone marrow, Abl-kinase fuses with another protein, turning into a deregulated, hyperactive enzyme. This causes large numbers of blood-forming stem cells to grow into an abnormal type of white blood cell, which gives rise to chronic myeloid leukemia. To treat this type of leukemia we use drugs that specifically bind and block a part of Abl-kinase called the “active site.” As the name suggests, this is the part of the enzyme that binds molecules to turn them on. …
Hundreds of mutations occur every day in almost every cell in our body. The protein p53 is then activated in order to limit these changes in the genome: either the cell repairs the damaged DNA or, if that is not possible, it triggers the cellular suicide program. In this way, cells are normally protected against the development of cancer. As the Berlin-based team at the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology reported last year, chlamydial infections lead to a drastic increase in the mutation rate. …
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center investigation showed that, in vivo, the genes p63 and p73 can be manipulated to upregulate or increase levels of IAPP, a protein important for the body’s ability to metabolize glucose. IAPP is found in some diabetes drugs already on the market. The research findings were published in today’s issue of Nature. …
The researchers found hidden faults in areas that are tricky for gene-reading technology to decode. This technique, which unravels cancer’s genetic blueprint, is an important part of the research that scientists carry out to understand more about cancer’s biology. By finding new ways to unlock these blind spots in the future, the researchers hope this will help us understand these mistakes and whether they lead to cancer. This could be a step towards developing tests to spot cancers earlier or provide new tactics for discovering future cancer treatments…
Although pharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) is a rather rare disease, its incidence has been increasing over the past three decades, now accounting for 130,000 new cases and 80,000 cancer deaths worldwide. The prognosis is one of the poorest of all the head and neck squamous cell carcinomas and it has not improved to any significant extent, despite the availability of multimodal therapies. …
Furin is responsible for activating certain proteins and is involved in the processing and maturation of viral and bacterial preproteins. Indeed, the strength of Furin activity has already been recognised, and used previously by scientists to propose broad anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-cancer treatments. This study used the binding site of human Furin in molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Author of the study, Omotuyi Olaposi, a lecturer in Biochemistry at the Adekunle Ajasin University, Nigeria, explains that the experiment ‘may provide further insight to the design of novel drugs for Ebola virus disease treatment’…
Triple negative breast cancers (TNBCs) have a high mortality rate owing to aggressive proliferation and metastasis and a lack of effective therapeutic options. However, Professor Auguste’s team, discovered the overexpression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in human TNBC cell lines and tissues, and demonstrated that it is a potential molecular target and biomarker for TNBC therapy and diagnosis. “No therapies are available to treat triple negative breast cancer cells and because of that patients have a poor prognosis,” said Professor Auguste, the recipient of a 2014 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. The Identification of ICAM-1 as a TNBC target and biomarker may lead to the development of a new strategy and platform for addressing a critical gap in TNBC patient care, she added. …
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer death for both men and women in the U.S. Historically, death rates were higher in those with higher socioeconomic status, in whites, and in northern states. Over the past few decades, though, that switched, with death rates now highest in persons with the lowest socioeconomic status, in blacks, and in southern states…
The first study establishes an association of this often-deadly cancer with the immune system and clarified the role of a class of immunogenic tumor antigens known as cancer testis (CT) antigens, and the second reports new evidence that certain molecular interactions influence ovarian cancer prognosis. In context with recent evidence that the immune system can potently inhibit the growth of cancer cells, these novel findings may enable development of a new strategy for identifying those patients most likely to benefit from particular targeted therapies. “There is a lot of interest right now in what to do with the human genome,” says Kevin Eng, PhD, an Assistant Professor of Oncology in the Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics at RPCI who was first author on both studies. …