|
Abstract: Cancer Watch April 2000
Among the highlights in the April. 2000 Cancer Watch issue are: Angiogenesis in Cancer – Revisited, Cyclin E in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer , Anti-HER2 Antibody Enhances the Inhibitory Effect of Antiestrogens, Novel Immunotherapy for Pancreatioc Cancer, Marijuana and Cancer Cell Death, Gene Therapy for Brain Tumors using Stem Cells, New Clinical Trials for Colorectal Cancer, Adjuvant Radiotherapy Does Not Improve Rectal Cancer Treatment, Prolonged Hormone Blockade Therapy for Advanced Prostate Cancer, Innovative Palliative Treatment for Advanced Prostate Cancer, Vitamin C in Cancer Therapy -- Revisited , Hyperthermia may Improve Radiotherapy in Certain Locally Advanced Tumors, Fatty Acid Synthesis and Cancer, Vitamin A Metabolism and Breast Cancer , Cervical Cancer Risk in HIV-Infected Women , Inactivated BRCA1 Gene in Nonhereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer, Breast Cancer in Older Age is Often Less Aggressive, Decisions for Elderly Cancer Patients..
News in Brief
- Angiogenesis in Cancer – Revisited
- Prognostic Significance of Cyclin E in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
- Anti-HER2 Antibody Enhances the Inhibitory Effect of Antiestrogens
- Wanted: Senior Citizens for Cancer Treatment Trial
Novel Immunotherapy for Pancreatioc Cancer
- A novel blood cell implant treatment has been tested in advanced pancreatic cancer patients. In this procedure white blood cells from an unrelated healthy individual are mixed with white cells from the cancer patient and grown in tissue culture and then injected directly into the tumor by an ultrasound-guided fine needle. Preliminary result suggests that this procedure is feasible without extensive adverse side effects.
Marijuana and Cancer Cell Death
- The active ingredients in marijuana may have inhibitory effects on brain cancer cell. This effect is mediated by increased accumulation of lipid ceramide in nerve cells triggering apoptosis.
Gene Therapy for Brain Tumors using Stem Cells
- Neural stem cells are better candidates to deliver therapeutic gene for brain cancer treatment. These cells may travel along the brain matter like cancer cells and engraft into the brain supplying the therapeutic agent.
New Clinical Trials for Colorectal Cancer
- A new platinum-based drug, oxaliplatin, is found to improve the result of the standard chemotherapeutic regimen 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin when used along with them. To test the efficacy of this trio combination in advanced-stage colorectal cancer patients, a new clinical trial is launched.
Adjuvant Radiotherapy Does Not Improve Rectal Cancer Treatment
- In rectal cancer patients, a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy or either therapy alone, after surgery does not improve disease-free or overall survival But a decrease in local recurrence was observed when using the combined regimen.
Prolonged Hormone Blockade Therapy for Advanced Prostate Cancer
- Increasing the length of antiandrogen use in combination androgen blockade therapy improves the survival of advanced prostate cancer patients
Innovative Palliative Treatment for Advanced Prostate Cancer
- A novel implant to supply a constant level of testosterone-suppressing drug to advanced prostate cancer patients is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. Bayer Corporation based in Pittsburgh, PA will distribute the implant..
Vitamin C in Cancer Therapy -- Revisited
- Dietary and endogenous antioxidants are in high regard; although a mixed bag, they are considered the natural counterbalance to oxidizing free radicals and play an essential role in preventing cellular damage. The general popularity of antioxidants has lead to a revival of our interest in some vitamins, including ascorbic acid. The latter maintains, in spite of many ups and downs, its venerable pedestal since its discovery by Szent-Györgyi (which brought him a Nobel prize in l937) till Pauling (another Nobel laureate) who almost regarded it as a "cure-all". Like with every broad over-simplification, studies and results with Vitamin C are controversial. Extreme opinions range from using antioxidants as principal cancer therapy to concerns that antioxidants might reduce oxidizing free radicals generated by radio- and some forms of chemotherapy and thereby decrease its efficacy in cancer treatment.
Hyperthermia may Improve Radiotherapy in Certain Locally Advanced Tumors
- Artificial raising of temperature of the tumor site just treated with radiation can increase the cytotoxic effect of radiation, thus reducing local recurrence. This strategy works better with tumors that have many hypoxic domains.
Fatty Acid Synthesis and Cancer
- Fatty acids play an important role in cellular structure and function. High level of fatty acid synthesis has been observed in a variety of human cancers. Inhibitors acting on the enzymes in the synthesis of fatty acids may therefore prevent cancer cell growth. Such inhibitors have been chemically synthesized and tested in cancer cells with positive results.
Vitamin A Metabolism and Breast Cancer
- A cellular protein needed for the uptake and metabolism of vitamin A is missing in some breast cancer cells. Vitamin A and its derivatives are required for the maintenance of normal epithelial cells; lack of their maintenance may trigger abnormality in them leading to cancer.
Cervical Cancer Risk in HIV-Infected Women
- Infection with certain viruses such as human papillomavirus or herpesvirus, has been associated with increased risk of developing cervical cancer. Another virus, human immunodeficiency virus, is now implicated in the enhanced risk of developing precancerous cervical lesions that can lead to invasive disease..
Inactivated BRCA1 Gene in Nonhereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer
- BRCA1 gene expression can be altered if the promoter of this gene that controls its "switching on" is changed. In sporadic breast cancer cases BRCA1 mutation has not been detected yet; but such patients display unusually low levels of the BRCA1 tumor suppressor protein. It is now observed that in certain type of sporadic breast cancer subgroups, BRCA1 gene is silenced by hypermethylation of the promoter region of the gene.
Breast Cancer in Older Age is Often Less Aggressive
- Study shows that women diagnosed with breast cancer at an advanced age and whose cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes live, on average, as long as women of the same age without breast cancer.
Decisions for Elderly Cancer Patients.
- Cancer is predominantly a disease of the elderly; if the success story of cardiovascular therapy – with drugs and surgical interventions – continues, malignancy will be indeed the predominant cause of disease and death very soon. Once an older patient is diagnosed, it is too late to start preaching that most cancers are avoidable. The individual must be informed and treated. It seems only fair to take into account the patients preferences.
Glossary
- A glossary of unfamiliar words and jargons in Cancer Watch, April 2000.
Redesigned and updated: April 25, 2000
|
