Research: Extract from red sea coral can treat skin cancer
By Cancer Information | May 23, 2009
Research for combating cancer goes off into many different paths - one area is to determine the genes that kick off the cancer cells, or provide an indication of whether there is a higher risk of cancer; another area is to find naturally occurring ingredients that can either decrease the chance of getting cancer, or reduce / stop the incidence of cance once a person has been afflicted with the cancer. As a part of this, researchers have found an extract from coral found in the red sea that acts against skin cancer (link to article):
The team led by SDSU distinguished professor Chandradhar Dwivedi looked at the chemo
preventive effects of sarcophine-diol, made from a substance called sarcophine that can be isolated from soft coral found in the Red Sea. They found that sarcophine-diol has the potential to inhibit cell growth of cancers, and induce orderly, programmed cell death of skin cancer cells.
The study showed that treating human skin cancer cells with different concentrations of sarcophine-diol for different lengths of time reduced the viability of cancer cells in each case. Sarcophine-diol also inhibited the proliferation or uncontrolled growth of cancer cells. It also induced apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in cancer cells.
Further research is required in this area, but this a postive trend in the cure against skin cancer.
Topics: Natural, Prevention, Research, Skin cancer, Study, Treatment | No Comments »
Cancer research: Time when menarche and menopause happens linked to cancer
By Cancer Information | May 23, 2009
Doing statistical analysis of patients to determine trends does not seem very exciting; however, large scale analysis is extremely useful to determine trends - these trends can in turn be used to determine when testing should happen, or to determine whether it can be determined that someone is at a higher risk of getting cancer. In the below article, scientists did analysis on tens of thousands of women to determine genetic variations that can determine the age of onset of menarche and menopause, which in turn are used to determine enhanced risk level of cancer (link to article):
Scientists have found new gene variants linked with the age at which females experience their first menstrual period and the onset of menopause, which can even help in preventing breast and endometrial cancer and osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease. the researchers have identified 10 genetic variants in two chromosomal regions associated with age at menarche (the first menstrual period), and 13 genetic variants in four chromosomal regions associated with age at natural menopause.
The researchers explained that an early onset of menarche and later menopause are well-established risk factors for the development of breast cancer and endometrial cancer. On the other hand, early menopause increases risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. Previous studies have suggested both menarche and menopause may be partially under genetic control.
Topics: Breast Cancer | No Comments »
Research: Drug based on herbs lower risk of getting prostate cancer
By Cancer Information | May 23, 2009
Prostate cancer is a diseases that affects a significant portion of men, with the chance of getting prostate cancer getting higher as men getting older. It has been recommended that older men go in for regular medical tests to make sure that they are not at early stages of prostate cancer. In a recent drug trial, men who had an increased risk of developing prostate cancer were administered the drug, and it was found to be effective in some cases (link to article):
A novel herb-based therapeutic called Zyflamend has been found to be linked with minimal toxicity and no serious adverse events in men at high-risk for developing prostate cancer in its phase I clinical trial.
“Since we know that men with HGPIN have an increased risk for developing prostate cancer, new strategies formulated to decrease cancer risk, prevent or delay surgery, and improve quality of life, will be greatly beneficial for these men,” said senior author of the study Dr. Aaron E. Katz, an associate professor of Urology at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. The researchers say that basic science studies have suggested that Zyflamend may have an anti-inflammatory mechanism of action, and the agent has been found to be effective in decreasing the proliferation of prostate cancer
in cell culture.
Topics: Drugs, Experimental, Gene, Natural, Prevention, Prostate Cancer, Research, Study | No Comments »
Cancer research: Cancer patients prone to depression
By Cancer Information | May 23, 2009
Cancer patients have been known to have higher chances of having depression, to the extent that many medical facilities provide counselling along with cancer treatment. It has always been accepted that cancer treatment and the pain resulting from the disease leads to the patient feeling depresses; of course, treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy with stiff side-effects can also cause more depression. However, a study has determined that the cancer actually produces chemicals that lead to depression (link to article):
“Our research shows that two types of tumour-induced molecules, one secreted by the immune system and another by the stress axis, may be responsible,” said Leah Pyter, a postdoctoral fellow and lead author of a paper. “Both of these substances have been implicated in depression, but neither has been examined over time frames and magnitudes that are characteristic of chronic diseases such as cancer,” she added.
The results also showed that the rats with tumours had increased levels of cytokines in their blood and in the hippocampus (the portion of the brain that regulates emotion) when compared with healthy rats. Cytokines are produced by the immune system, and an increase in cytokines has been linked to depression. The team also found that stress hormone production also was altered in rats with tumours. The rats with tumours also had dampened production of the stress hormone corticosterone.
The study has been conducted in rats so far, but the fact is, if a study can conclusively determine that cancer does indeed medically lead to depression, there will be a greater focus on emotional counselling during treatment, something that should help the patient.
Topics: Cancer, Depression, Emotions, Research, Side Effects, Study | No Comments »
Cancer research: A gel that prevents skin cancers
By Cancer Information | May 23, 2009
Increasing level of sun exposure has been shown in the past to be related to an increased risk of developing skin cancers, and is the reason why the increase of the hole in the Ozone was supposed to result in more skin cancers and health problems. It is also the reason why there is an increased focus on skin creams and sun-blockers for those who have a much higher exposure to the sun. But there are problems with unprotected higher exposure to the sun. Sun spots have an enhanced risk of developing into skin cancers if untreated. Now an Australian company has come out with a gel made from radium weed sap that removes sun spots (link to article):
Peplin, the Queensland-based pharmaceutical company, says that its gel can remove sun spots, which can develop into invasive skin cancers if left untreated. Dr. Peter Welburn, General Manager of the company, has revealed that human trials have shown that the gel can treat sun spots and lesions in just two days.
According to him, the gel successively removed every sun spot on 27 per cent of patients, with 44 per cent having partial success. “This is the first product that has demonstrated benefit in treating sun spots on the face, neck and difficult areas to treat like the arms and back of hands,’’ News.com.au quoted him as saying. He, however, conceded that the gel did not treat melanomas.
Nature has many cures present through either plant or animal extracts that can help in treating cancer; it is just about science being able to find them and developed them commercially.
Topics: Natural, Reduction, Research, Skin cancer, Study, Treatment | No Comments »
Research: Exposure to pollutants ups cancer risk
By Cancer Information | May 23, 2009
Environmental pollution has been blamed for a number of things, such as global warming, changes in weather patterns, and for a number of health problems such as lung problems, skin problems and so on. Cancer is at a very high level defined as the abnormal behavior of the cells of the body, and has a variety of causes such as breakdown or mutation in DNA, hereditary reasons, and so on (as an example, people exposed to a number of carcinogens such as asbestos, high radiation levels, and so on). Environmental pollution was less blamed for this problem, but a recent study shows how pollution levels can affect DNA within a period as low as 3 days (link to article):
Exposure to environmental pollutants even for a short period can prompt genes to undergo reprogramming, and thereby increase an individual’s risk of developing cancer and other diseases, say Italian scientists. “Recently, changes in gene programming due to a chemical transformation called methylation have been found in the blood and tissues of lung cancer patients,” said investigator Dr. Andrea Baccarelli, assistant professor of Applied Biotechnology at the University of Milan.
“The changes were detectable after only three days of exposure to particulate matter, indicating that environmental factors need little time to cause gene reprogramming which is potentially associated with disease outcomes,” said Baccarelli. “As several of the effects of particulate matter in foundries are similar to those found after exposure to ambient air pollution, our results open new hypotheses about how air pollutants modify human health.
Even though environmental pollution is a reality we all live with, seeing this kind of reaseach increases the impulse to control and restrict such pollution levels. Fortunately, the research does indicate that this impact is reversible.
Topics: Cancer, Pollution, Research, Risk, Study | No Comments »
Analysis: Cancer drug linked to brain virus that proves fatal
By Cancer Information | May 23, 2009
Rituximab is a popular drug that is used for treating brain cancer. Rituximab is the most important and widely used cancer drug for lymphoma. It is also approved for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and is widely used off-label to treat multiple sclerosis, lupus and auto-immune anaemias. However, a recent study seems to indicate that the drug is linked in some way to a fast acting and fatal brain infection called progressive multifocal leukoencephalitis (PML). The infection causes the brain to degenerate, and can cause death. The study does not conclusively link the drug to the brain infection, but should seed the ground for further studies to determine this linkage (link to article):
A brain biopsy and a spinal tap confirmed the diagnosis of a swiftly moving and often fatal viral brain infection called progressive multifocal leukoencephalitis (PML) that attacks the brain’s white matter. Both had lymphoma and had been taking the popular cancer drug rituximab (brand name Rituxan) before they developed the brain infection.
Bennett reports on 57 cases from 1997 to 2008 in which patients with anemia, rheumatoid arthritis or lymphoma developed the fatal brain disease after taking rituximab. They died an average of two months after being diagnosed, said a Northwestern release. Bennett said the brain infection is often overlooked and undiagnosed because it is so subtle at first. “People may think it’s early Alzheimer’s disease or depression,” he said. “Many of these patients have cancer and when they die, people assume it’s the cancer that killed them.”
It is useful for people having brain cancer to know more about the impact of the drug.
Topics: Brain Cancer, Chemotherapy, Drugs, Reason, Risk, Side Effects, Treatment | No Comments »
Patenting of genes: Cancer patients raise protest
By Cancer Information | May 18, 2009
Imagine getting a test based on your genes that can help you determine whether you are at increased risk for ovarian cancer. Now you get a postive test, and given that a cancer is a pretty serious illness, you would like to get a second option, a second test from a different company so that you can be sure (and getting a second opinion is a pretty normal step when dealing with medical issues). However, there is a problem in this area - the US Government allowed a single company to get a patent on 2 genes that are associated with an enhanced risk for breast and ovarian cancer, as well as testing related to this risk. Now this patent is being challenged (link to article):
When Genae Girard received a diagnosis of breast cancer in 2006, she knew she would be facing medical challenges and high expenses. But she did not expect to run into patent problems. On Tuesday, Girard, 39, who lives in the Austin, Texas, filed a lawsuit against Myriad and the Patent Office, challenging the decision to grant a patent on a gene to Myriad and companies like it. She was joined by four other cancer patients, by professional organizations of pathologists and by several genetic experts.
“With a sole provider, there’s mediocrity,” said Wendy Chung, the director of clinical genetics at Columbia University and a plaintiff in the case. Chung and others involved with the suit do not accuse Myriad of being a poor steward of the information concerning the two genes at issue in the suit, known as BRCA1 and BRCA2, but they argue that BRCA testing would improve if market forces were allowed to work.
Getting a patent on a gene has been debated for long; let us see how this patent challenge proceeds.
Topics: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Detection, Gene, Genetic, Ovarian Cancer, Risk, Test | No Comments »
Research: Some ginger capsules help out in chemotherapy
By Cancer Information | May 17, 2009
Chemotherapy (using some specific strong chemicals) is one of the treatments against cancer, and can be pretty effective. However, chemotherapy has the problem of causing some significant side effects that can be troubling for a large number of patients - nausea, vomiting can be very troubling to patients, and in some patients, the effects of nausea can be such that it inhibits them from going in for chemotherpay. So, a new research that touts the use of ginger several days before the bout of chemotherapy was found to be effective in reducing the extent of nausea among patients (link to article):
Ginger, long used as a folk remedy for soothing tummyaches, helped tame one of the most dreaded side effects of cancer treatment - nausea from chemotherapy, the first large study to test the herb for this has found. But don’t reach for the ginger ale. Many sodas and cookies contain only flavoring _ not real ginger, Ryan said. Her study tested a drug-like ginger root extract, and it’s not known if people could get the same benefits from ginger teas or the powdered ginger sold as a spice.
The study involved 644 patients from cancer centers around the nation who had suffered nausea in a previous round of chemotherapy. Two-thirds had breast cancer and the rest, other forms of the disease. They were placed in four groups and given one of three doses of ginger (the equivalent of one-half, 1 or 1{ grams of ginger per day) or dummy capsules in addition to standard anti-sickness medicines. Timing may have been key to success: An earlier study found ginger did no good when patients waited until the day of treatment to start taking it. In the new study, researchers wanted to see if having ginger in the system ahead of time would help.
This study finds a promising link, if researchers are able to conclusively find that taking ginger in this form, and with the adequate time period defined, can help patients in their post-chemotherapy problems, it will be a good solution.
Topics: Chemotherapy, Reduction, Side Effects | No Comments »
Cancer research: Personalizing treatment for lung cancer
By Cancer Information | May 5, 2009
One of the key areas of cancer research is to find more methods for personalizing cancer research. This article talks about some interesting leads in this area, including the use of cancer vaccines and targeted therapies to help people who have lung cancer, especially those who have had surgery; such treatment can help people avoid a recurrence of the cancer (link to article):
“Personalizing therapy is the key strategy for longer and better survival in lung cancer,” said Prof Paris Kosmidis, head of the second Medical Oncology Department at Hygeia Hospital in Athens, Greece. “This is particularly important for early stage disease when following surgery, decisions about preventive therapy are based on specific prognostic and predictive factors.”
At the conference, researchers will describe a gene signature that might predict which patients will benefit from the treatment. “Because the benefits of vaccination will be limited to a subgroup of patients, strategies to define these patients by means of biomarkers such as a genetic signature are of major clinical relevance, as only these patients might be candidates for vaccination in the future,” said Weder.
As we proceed on research, science keeps on finding weapons in the fight cancers; and one of the most worrisome issues for a patient who has had the removal of their cancer is whether the cancer will come back - this research points to indicators about how to prevent the delay.
Topics: Cancer, Lung Cancer, Treatment, Vaccine | No Comments »