Unusual drug target, drug generate exciting preclinical results in mouse models of metastatic breast cancer A doctor treating a patient with a potentially fatal metastatic breast tumor would be very pleased to find, after administering a round of treatment, that the primary tumor had undergone a change in character – from aggressive to static, and no longer shedding cells that can colonize distant organs of the body. Indeed, most patients with breast and other forms of cancer who succumb to the illness do so because of the cancer’s unstoppable spread.
Painkiller tapped to become future cancer-killer Diclofenac, a common painkiller, has significant anti-cancer properties, according to researchers. Like other drugs examined by the ReDO project, diclofenac is cheap and readily accessible -- and as it's already present in many medicine cabinets, it has been carefully tested.
Study reveals potential therapy targets for triple-negative breast cancer In cancer, cell signaling pathways are the critical chain of events that can either quash or quicken disease progression. A new study has revealed new information about how molecules called long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) interact with HIF-1, a signaling pathway that is overexpressed in many cancers. HIF-1 has been shown to regulate breast cancer progression.
Research reveals promising novel strategy to target cancer-causing protein The mechanism by which tumor cells elevated levels of MDM4, a protein that is highly expressed in cancer cells but not in normal adult tissues, has been revealed by researchers. The team has also found that the mechanism can be interfered with antisense oligonucleotides to suppress cancer growth.
Cancer: Pinpoint targeting instead of shotgun approach, say experts Integrins help cells communicate with and adapt to their environment. Also cancer cells depend on their properties to survive and spread throughout the body. Now scientists have successfully developed a small, highly active molecule that binds to a specific integrin that operates in many types of cancer. In the future it may allow patient-specific diagnoses and subsequent targeted treatment of tumor cells
Probing the mystery of how cancer cells die The role sphingolipids play in the death of cancer cells is now better understood, thanks to a recent study. The research traces how levels of various sphingolipids spike inside cancer cells when the cells are undergoing a highly organized form of cellular death called apoptosis.
Study uncovers hard-to-detect cancer mutations Current approaches to genome analysis systematically miss detecting a certain type of complex mutation in cancer patients' tumors, new research shows. Further, a significant percentage of these complex mutations are found in well-known cancer genes that could be targeted by existing drugs, potentially expanding the number of cancer patients who may benefit.
Survival rates for patients with prostate cancer better with surgery versus radiotherapy A rigorous evaluation of survival rates has shown that cancer patients with localised prostate cancer -- the most common form of prostate cancer -- have a better chance of survival if treated by surgery than by radiotherapy. This is the most robust analysis (meta-analysis) to date of published literature comparing surgery and radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer
Experimental 'urban garden' helps cancer survivors' lower risk for recurrence, chronic illness While there is substantial evidence that diet and body weight can impact cancer development, recurrence, and progression – for the estimated 14.5 million cancer survivors in the US, there are few resources available to help them optimize their dietary patterns and lifestyle behaviors after active cancer treatment is over.Cancer survivors who participated in a multifaceted urban garden intervention improved their health behaviors, significantly reduced their weight, and improved biomarkers of health – all major improvements related to a reduced risk for developing a secondary cancer or illnesses like diabetes or heart disease.
Discovery of X-linked intellectual disability syndrome is aided by web tools It's a genetic detective story with a distinct 21st-century flavor. A geneticist has used powerful internet and social media tools to find doctors and researchers in nine US states and eight other nations to help him confirm, document and describe in precise clinical detail a new X-linked intellectual disability genetic syndrome in young boys that he first came across five years ago.
Children with common allergies have twice heart disease risk Children with allergies, particularly asthma and hay fever, have about twice the rate of high blood pressure and high cholesterol, setting them on a course for heart disease at a surprisingly early age. Even when the study controlled for obesity, children with allergic disease had a much higher risk. These children need to be screened more aggressively for high cholesterol and high blood pressure, so they can modify their lifestyles and reverse this risk.
'Master switch' helps cancer cells survive stress Scientists have discovered a 'master switch' within cancer cells that seems to override the normal stress response and allows them to survive conditions that would normally be lethal. The mechanism could be critical in allowing cancer cells to withstand the huge amounts of stress they come under as they divide rapidly and their metabolism goes into overdrive.
Making cancer care personal Researchers are partnering with a private company to develop computer simulations that can help personalize cancer care by predicting how a patient will respond to a drug treatment.
Can cancer itself damage the heart? Both treated and untreated cancer patients showed impaired heart function, report researchers at the end of a study. The finding raises the possibility that cancer itself may damage heart muscle irrespective of exposure to cancer drug therapies
How to wake a sleeping cancer cell, and why you might want to Cancer cells that lie 'snoozing' in the skeleton can be awakened by changes in the bone that surrounds them, scientists have shown. In a world first, researchers have used state-of-the-art microscopy techniques to watch cancer cells sleep within living bone over a period of months. They show that cancer cells can be 'woken up' when bone tissue is broken down around them, suggesting new possibilities for treating metastatic cancer in bone.
Antibody developed to save cancerous bones Osteosarcoma (OS) is a rare cancer most often affecting adolescents and children. While most bone cancers have their origin in other body tissues and spread to the bones through metastases, OS originates in the bone tissue. Researchers now show that OS cells degrade the bone tissue through a completely different process than metastasized bone cancer. Through treatment with a specific antibody, the researchers blocked the process and reduced up to 80 percent of bone degradation in a cancer model
False-positive mammograms may indicate increased risk of breast cancer later Women with a history of a false-positive mammogram result may be at increased risk of developing breast cancer for up to 10 years after the false-positive result.
New gene map reveals cancer's Achilles heel Scientists have mapped out the genes that keep our cells alive, creating a long-awaited foothold for understanding how our genome works and which genes are crucial in disease like cancer.
Cognitive-behavioral stress management in breast cancer Women who were provided with skills to manage stress early in their breast cancer treatment show greater length of survival and longer time till disease recurrence over eight to 15 years after their original diagnosis, newly published research from a randomized trial shows.
Infants under 12 months most at risk of physical abuse Infants under the age of 12 months are most at risk of serious physical abuse, reveals a large study of severely injured children. Compared with children whose injuries had been accidental, the injuries of abused children were more severe and tended to involve the head/brain.
Detecting cancer cells before they form metastases A new method to detect cancer cells in the blood before they settle in the tissue and form a new tumor has been developed by a team of researchers. To date, it has been difficult to detect cancer cells in the blood at an early stage: about one malignant cell is encountered per billion of healthy cells.
Antibody-drug compounds and immunotherapy to treat breast cancer To more efficiently treat breast cancer, scientists have been researching molecules that selectively bind to cancer cells and deliver a substance that can kill the tumor cells, for several years. Researchers have now, for the first time, successfully combined such an antibody-drug conjugate with a therapy that stimulates the immune system to attack tumor cells. This opens the door to new therapeutic options in the treatment of breast cancer
Bacteria from the sea join the fight against cancer, infections Scientists are opening the gates of nature’s secret medicine factories, with the aim of giving us new weapons against cancers and resistant bacteria. They are developing technology that will make it easier to find – and exploit – these hidden and unutilised medicine factories in bacteria that exist in the natural environment. The hunt will concentrate on marine bacteria.
Sensory illusion causes cells to self-destruct Magic tricks work because they take advantage of the brain's sensory assumptions, tricking audiences into seeing phantoms or overlooking sleights of hand. Now a team of researchers has discovered that even brainless single-celled yeast have sensory biases that can be hacked by a carefully engineered illusion, a finding that could be used to develop new approaches to fighting diseases such as cancer.
Long-term outcomes in childhood, young adult cancer survivors Recent work has focused on long-term outcomes in survivors of childhood or young adult cancer. Among other findings, researchers found that cancer survivors had an overall increased relative risk for hospitalization compared with those in the general population. Cancer survivors at highest risk for hospitalizations were leukemia, brain cancer and Hodgkin lymphoma survivors
Better catalysts will remove carcinogenic chlorine compounds from water Two new catalysts have been developed as effective treatment of tap water. With these catalysts, researchers intend to eliminate harmful chlorine compounds
More than 8 percent of children with cancer have genetic predisposition, The most detailed analysis yet of the role germline mutations in genes associated with cancer predisposition play in the development of childhood cancer suggests that comprehensive genomic screening may be warranted on all pediatric cancer patients, not just those with a family history of cancer
Infants with blind parents pay less attention to eyes For parents of young children, there are few milestones more memorable than that first word. But people communicate an awful lot to each other without ever saying anything at all. So, how do infants learn to communicate with the people around them nonverbally, through eye contact? Researchers have some new insight into this silent form of communication from an unlikely source: the sighted children of blind parents
Bone protein inhibits prostate cancer invasion. A secreted protein predominantly expressed in bone inhibits prostate cancer metastasis to bone, new research shows. Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men in the United States. If detected at early stages the prognosis is quite favorable; however, aggressive forms of metastatic prostate cancer spread primarily to the skeleton
Nondrug interventions improve quality of life for Chinese cancer patients A meta-analysis of dozens of studies of traditional Chinese medicine and other nonpharmacological interventions meant to improve patients' quality of life affirms that these approaches, on the whole, help alleviate depression, fatigue, pain, anxiety, insomnia and gastrointestinal problems in Chinese cancer patients
Nanotech-based sensor developed to measure microRNAs in blood, speed cancer detection A newly developed, simple, ultrasensitive microRNA sensor holds promise for the design of new diagnostic strategies and, potentially, for the prognosis and treatment of pancreatic and other cancers
Tracing activity of cancer-fighting tomato component Years of research have demonstrated that lycopene, the bioactive red pigment found in tomatoes, reduces growth of prostate tumors in a variety of animal models. When consumed, lycopene undergoes a change in its chemical structure that potentially influences health,
Drug could limit spread of deadly brain tumors In a significant breakthrough, researchers have identified a drug, propentofylline or PPF, that could help treat patients with deadly brain cancer. They report that PPF works to limit the spread of glioblastoma multiforme, or GBM -- the most common primary tumor of the brain and central nervous system -- by targeting a protein called TROY.
Kidney failure and its treatment may impact cancer risk Risk of kidney and thyroid cancers was especially high when kidney failure patients were on dialysis, researchers have discovered. Conversely, risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, melanoma, lung cancer, and certain skin cancers was highest following kidney transplantation, likely due to immunosuppressant medications. Kidney failure is on the rise and currently afflicts an estimated 2 million people worldwide.
World first 3-D image of a protein involved in cancer spread Scientific history has been made by determining the first three-dimensional image of a protein linked to the spread of cancer. The 3-D image shows the architecture and intimate atomic-level detail of a bacterial heparanase, an enzyme that degrades a sugar molecule known as heparan sulfate, say scientists.
Cancer cells hijack glucose, alter immune cells When cancer cells compete with immune cells for glucose, the cancer wins. As a result, the immune T cells are not healthy and don't have the weapons to kill the cancer. New research findings, report scientists, have potential as a tool to predict ovarian cancer survival, or a marker to predict effectiveness of immunotherapy including checkpoint blockade or immune vaccination.
Cancer-associated mutations are common in patients with unexplained low blood counts Patients with unexplained low blood counts and abnormally mutated cells who do not fit the diagnostic criteria for recognized blood cancers should be described as having clonal cytopenias of undetermined significance suggest researchers in a recent paper. The researchers found the condition surprisingly common in older patients with low blood counts.
Gut bacteria can dramatically amplify cancer immunotherapy Introducing certain bacteria into the digestive tracts of mice with melanoma can help their immune systems attack tumor cells. The gains were comparable to treatment with anticancer drugs known as checkpoint inhibitors. The combination of bacteria and anti-PD-L1 nearly abolished tumor outgrowth, report scientists.
