Cancer
Possible Drug Target Found For One Of The Most Aggressive Breast Cancers
Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) investigators have identified a gene that could be an important therapeutic target in the treatment of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer. Currently, patients with these cancers have few treatment options. "Breast cancer mortality rates are actually declining, but the cancers that don't respond to traditional treatments tend to be more aggressive and have decreased survival rates," said VARI Research Scientist Carrie Graveel, Ph.D., lead author of the study published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences U.S.A. Researchers found that the Met gene may play a critical role in the development of an aggressive form of breast cancer known as basal breast cancer. "Met has... More »
DACH1 A Key Protein For Tumor Suppression In Er+ Breast Cancer
Researchers from the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson have identified a protein relationship that may be an ideal treatment target for ER+ breast cancer. The study was reported in the July 15 issue of Cancer Research. DACH1, a cell fate determination factor protein, prevents cancer cell proliferation by repressing the function of estrogen receptorsin breast cancer, the researchers found. However, they also found that as the presence of DACH1 decreases in breast cancer, the presence of estrogen receptors increases, and vice versa. Approximately 70% of breast cancers are ER+. Treatment for ER+ breast cancer usually consists of hormone therapy, which includes lowering the natural estrogen levels in the body or using synthetic drugs like... More »
Breast Cancer Hormone Receptor Status And Risk Of A Second Primary Tumor
Women with hormone receptor (HR) negative first tumors have twice as much risk for developing a second breast cancer as women with HR-positive tumors, according to a study published online July 9 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Christina A. Clarke, Ph.D., of the Northern California Cancer Center in Fremont, Calif., and colleagues examined data from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database to analyze whether a first tumor's estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor content and the age or race of the woman has anything to do with her risk of a second tumor. They found that women who have had breast cancer are at increased risk of a second primary breast cancer, compared with... More »
Hormone Therapy Use Associated With Increased Risk Of Ovarian Cancer
Compared with women who have never taken hormone therapy, those who currently take it or who have taken it in the past are at increased risk of ovarian cancer, regardless of the duration of use, the formulation, estrogen dose, regimen or route of administration, according to a study in the July 15 issue of JAMA. Primary prevention of ovarian cancer is challenging because little is known about its cause. Studies have suggested an increased risk of ovarian cancer among women taking postmenopausal hormone therapy (HT), according to background information in the article. Data have been limited on the differing effects of formulations, regimens and routes of administration. Lina Steinrud Morch, M.Sc., of Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen Universi... More »
Genetic Factors Implicated In Survival Gap For Breast, Ovarian Or Prostate Cancer
A new finding reveals that African-American patients with breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer tend to die earlier than patients of other races with these cancers, even when they receive identical medical treatment and when socioeconomic factors are controlled for. The finding, an analysis of almost 20,000 patient records from 35 clinical trials, points to biological or genetic factors as the potential source of the survival gap. Dawn Hershman, M.D, M.S., a Columbia University Medical Center oncologist whose research is dedicated to examining racial and ethnic disparities in cancer outcome and in cancer survivorship, was the senior author of the research published online by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI). The study a... More »
Scientists At University Of Michigan Report Research In Colon Cancer
According to recent research from the United States, "Sunitinib is an oral small-molecule multitargeted receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor that has recently been shown to have clinical benefit as a single agent in renal cell cancer and gastrointestinal stromal tumors, leading to its Food and Drug Administration approval for treatment of these cancers. However, the benefit is short-lived; and for the majority of cancers, sunitinib single-agent clinical activity is low." "Therefore, combination strategies with sunitinib are currently in clinical development. The hypoxia-inducible transcription factors, HIF-1 and HIF-2, induce gene programs important for cancer cell growth and angiogenesis. We hypothesized that inhibiting HIF-1 and HIF-2 wo... More »
Report Finds Pillcam Technology Safe, Less Effective
PillCam developer Given Imaging Ltd. said that a recent study found that its PillCam COLON is not as sensitive in detecting colorectal diseases as optical colonoscopy, but that Given's technology is safe and can be a good option for certain patients. The multi-center study comparing the performance of PillCam COLON capsule endoscopy with optical colonoscopy for the detection of colorectal polyps and cancer was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The study's authors found that colon capsule endoscopy is a safe way to visualize the colon, without the need for sedation or intubation. However, the current PillCAM version is not as sensitive in detecting abnormalities as a colonoscopy. Researchers computed sensitivity... More »
New Ovarian Cancer Study Findings Reported From University Of Texas
According to a study from the United States, "Resistance to platinum chemotherapy remains a significant problem in ovarian carcinoma. Here, we examined the biological mechanisms and therapeutic potential of targeting a critical platinum resistance gene, ATP7B, using both in vitro and in vivo models." "Expression of ATP7A and ATP7B was examined in ovarian cancer cell lines by real-time reverse transcription-PCR and Western blot analysis. ATP7A and ATP7B gene silencing was achieved with targeted small interfering RNA (siRNA) and its effects on cell viability and DNA adduct formation were examined. For in vivo therapy experiments, siRNA was incorporated into the neutral nanoliposome 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DOPC). ATP7... More »
2 Reproductive Factors Are Important Predictors Of Survival From Ovarian Cancer
Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that survival among women with ovarian cancer is influenced by age of menarche and total number of lifetime ovulatory cycles. This finding suggests that hormonal activity over the course of a woman's lifetime may influence the prognosis after an ovarian cancer diagnosis. Results of this study are published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. Results of previous studies indicated that fewer lifetime ovulatory cycles, higher parity, oral contraceptive use, hysterectomy and tubal ligation are associated with decreased risk of developing this form of cancer, according to the researchers. Howev... More »
Landmark Study For GSK's Cervical Cancer Vaccine Published In The Lancet
The final analysis of the largest efficacy trial of a cervical cancer vaccine is published in The Lancet. The study, involving 18,644 women, confirmed GlaxoSmithKline's Cervarix(R) is highly effective at protecting against the two most common cervical cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV) types, 16 and 18. The study also showed that the vaccine provides cross-protection against HPV types 31, 33 and 45, the three most common cancer-causing virus types beyond 16 and 18. Thomas Breuer, Head of Global Clinical R & D and Chief Medical Officer of GSK Biologicals commented: "These excellent study results confirm the efficacy offered by Cervarix(R) against HPV 16 and 18. For the first time the results show that this vaccine was effective aga... More »