Tag Archives: cloud

Approved breast cancer drug offers hope for the treatment of blood disorders

“Our study demonstrates that targeting estrogen signaling with a clinically approved drug, at doses with an acceptable toxicity profile in humans, provides a novel potential therapeutic strategy for a set of neoplasms currently without a definitive cure,” said senior study author Sim�n M�ndez-Ferrer of the National Center for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC) in Madrid, Spain. Myeloproliferative neoplasms cause large numbers of abnormal white blood cells to be produced and enter the bloodstream, potentially causing life-threatening symptoms. These diseases can lead to cancer and arise from blood cells called hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs), which give rise to all of the other blood cells. …

Technology breakthrough reveals cellular transcription process

The technology is known as the “FISH investigation protocol” (Fluorescent in situ hybridization) — it optimises current flow cytometry processes, resulting in a greater visibility of the transcription of RNA, a key step in the transmission of cellular information. …

Psychological problems in men experiencing cancer

A group of 127 men aged 18 and over with a cancer diagnosis were recruited through the National Health Service and cancer charities between April 2009 and April 2011. The participants were assessed for demographic factors, social support, anxiety and depression, and distress (Distress Thermometer)…

Men with life expectancies of less than 10 years still receive aggressive treatment for prostate cancer despite guidelines — ScienceDaily

In the first study to rigorously address prostate cancer treatment trends by life expectancy in a large, nationally representative sample, UCLA researchers found that more than half of prostate cancer patients 66 years and older have life expectancies of less than10 years, but half of those still were over-treated for their prostate cancer with surgery, radiation or brachytherapy, the implantation of radioactive seeds in the prostate. Randomized controlled studies have suggested that significant differences in survival between watchful waiting — monitoring the cancer closely but not treating it — and aggressive therapies don’t develop until 10 years after treatment. It only makes sense to not treat men expected to die of something else within 10 years…

Innovative ‘Tumor in a Dish’ Turns Cells Into Cancer

By combining the different cells that make up a lung, Dr. Anant was able to insert cancer cells and see how they grew in a real “in vivo” environment, or one that closely resembles human anatomy. The process could also make it quicker and easier to test standard and experimental drugs on individual cancers as current drug testing methods can be time-consuming, imprecise or controversial. For example, while genetic testing has become easier, it often shows what treatments won’t work as opposed to which ones will. …

Not all induced pluripotent stem cells are made equal

This means the type of cell obtained from an individual patient to make pluripotent stem cells, determines what can be best done with them. For example, to repair the lung of a patient with lung disease, it is best to start off with a lung cell to make the therapeutic stem cells to treat the disease, or a breast cell for the regeneration of tissue for breast cancer patients…

Mapping the interactome: Proteomics reveals the E-cadherin interaction network

Unlocking the complexity of cell adhesion Many biological processes depend on the ability of cells to stick to one another. The formation of multicellular organisms and precise embryonic development rely on this property, as does the maintenance of healthy tissue. Defects in the ability of cells to adhere to one another have been found in many diseases, such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and cardiovascular disease. In the case of cancer, ineffective cell adhesion allows tumour cells to detach and invade other tissues, thereby spreading cancer throughout the body. …

Chemo effect on brain cells pinpointed; potential link to autism

The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows how the common chemotherapy drug topotecan can drastically suppress the expression of Topoisomerase-1, a gene that triggers the creation of proteins essential for normal brain function. Specifically, the drug tamps down the proteins that are necessary for neurons to communicate through synapses. However, the researchers found that the protein levels and synaptic communication return to normal when the drug is removed. …