No viral cause for breast cancer and brain tumours
It has been scientifically proven that about 15 per cent of all cancer cases are the result of viral infection, but many researchers believe that even more cancers could be caused by viruses. …
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Sparing the body, breast cancer treatment via nipple injection
“Local delivery of therapeutic agents into the breast, through intra-nipple injection, could diminish the side effects typically observed with systemic chemotherapy—where the toxic drugs pass through all of the tissues of the body,” said Dr. Silva Krause, one of the researchers behind the experiment, “It also prevents drug breakdown by the liver, for example, which can rapidly reduce effective drug levels.” According to Silva, she and her colleagues have already begun experimentation in applying the method. “The authors have utilized this technique to inject a new nanoparticle-based therapeutic that inhibits a specific gene that drives breast cancer formation,” said Silva, “This targeted treatment was shown to prevent cancer progression in mice that spontaneously develop mammary tumors, [and] is currently in review in Science Translational Medicine.” In order to better communicate their procedure, Silva and her colleagues decided to publish with JoVE. …
New study identifies preferred method to assess patient reactions to radiation therapy
During the course of radiation therapy, patients may experience reactions to their treatments. Typically, the severity of reactions is assessed by a radiation oncologist and nurse using a formal grading scheme. Research conducted by North Shore-LIJ’s radiation oncologists evaluated the reliability of these grading systems by independent caregivers…
Successful treatment of triple negative breast cancer by modulation of the OGF-OGFr axis
In the June 2013 issue of Experimental Biology and Medicine, Zagon and colleagues demonstrate that exposure of human breast cancer cell lines to OGF in vitro repressed growth within 24 hr in a receptor-mediated and reversible manner. Treatment with low dosages of the opioid antagonist naltrexone (LDN) provoked a compensatory elevation in endogenous opioids (i.e., OGF) and receptors that interact for 18-20 hr daily following receptor blockade to elicit a robust inhibition of cell proliferation. Because OGF is an endogenous neuropeptide, there are minimal or no side effects. The mechanism of action for OGF is upregulation of the p21 cyclin-dependent inhibitory kinase pathway that delays passage through the cell cycle…
Discovery of novel gene mutations in leukemia patients opens up personalized therapy options
Gene mutations often trigger cancer. These changes in the DNA mostly affect the regulators of cellular metabolism or cell growth, which cause cells to degenerate and proliferate rapidly…
New target for the fight against cancer as a result of excessive blood vessel formation
Every growing cell in our body is provided with oxygen and nutrients via our blood vessels. Blood vessels are formed by endothelial cells which line the inside wall of the vessel. These cells require energy to be able to form new blood vessels…
New treatment strategy for breast cancer spread to brain
Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women, and metastasis is a major cause of health deterioration and death from the disease. Management of metastasis is difficult for several reasons…
Keeping centrioles in check to ensure proper cell division
Their results are published in the journal Current Biology today. Centrioles — orchestrators of cell division When our cells divide, their genetic material — in the form of X-shaped chromosomes — is aligned in the middle of the cell and segregated to opposite poles of the cell by a spindle of long tubular fibers, so-called microtubules. The structures that organize the two poles of the spindle in animal cells are called centrosomes…
Gene that may stop the spread of breast cancer identified
This finding, published in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), may be used to develop therapeutic treatments for patients. "Our research has shown that HGMA2 plays a part in regulating the spread of cancer and could be considered a driver of the process," said Dr. Chada, who was principal investigator of the study. "Further studies could result in the development of therapeutic treatments for patients with breast cancer which could prevent HGMA2’s function, reduce the spread of cancer and extend a patient’s life." According to Dr…
Alternative target for breast cancer drugs
"Our findings suggest that Ret kinase might be an attractive and novel alternative therapeutic target in selected groups of breast cancer patients," remarked Nancy Hynes, Professor at the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research and the University of Basel, Switzerland. "Initial experiments in mice that serve as model organisms for the study of breast cancer have revealed that specific inhibitors significantly block the spread of cancer and decrease the number of metastatic tumours found in the lungs." The scientists examined tumour tissue microarrays of more than 100 breast cancer patients who had undergone surgery to remove their tumours. Antibodies were used to detect the levels of Ret in the samples. …