Probable Mechanism Underlying Resveratrol Activity Revealed By NIH StudyNational Institutes of Health researchers and their colleagues have identified how resveratrol, a naturally occurring chemical found in red wine and other plant products, may confer its health benefits. The authors present evidence that resveratrol does not directly activate sirtuin 1, a protein associated with aging...
Six-Organ Transplant Girl Goes Home TodayAfter 100 days in hospital and undergoing a complicated 6-organ transplant, 9-year-old Alannah Shevenell, from Maine, leaves Boston Children's Hospital today and goes home. Alannah has been treated for a rare form of cancer; an inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor continued to grow after all possible treatments failed, and was compromising her internal organs. A team of surgeons, led by Dr...
Chaos In The Cell's Command CenterA defective operating system is never a good thing. Like computers, our cells depend on operating systems to drive normal functions. Gene expression programs comprise the software code our cells rely on, with each cell type controlled by its own program. Corrupted programs can trigger disease...
For Brain Cancer - A Thought-Provoking New Therapeutic Target?Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common of all malignant brain tumors that originate in the brain. Patients with GBM have a poor prognosis because it is a highly aggressive form of cancer that is commonly resistant to current therapies. New therapeutic approaches are therefore much needed...
Cancer Patients' Health Benefits From Physical ActivityAccording to an investigation published on bmj.com, cancer patients who have completed their primary cancer-related treatment, who engage in physical activity, can enhance their health. Earlier studies discovered that individuals with cancer anticipate to return to normal daily activities after completing their primary cancer-related treatment...
News From The Journal Of Clinical Investigation: Feb. 1, 2012 ONCOLOGY: Answers to age-old questions surrounding fat cell cancer Myxoid round cell liposarcoma (MRCLS) is a cancerous tumor that typically arises in deep fat tissues of the limbs or abdomen. It was shown almost 20 years ago to be characterized by a chromosomal change that generates a fusion protein known as TLS:CHOP...
Researchers Develop Novel Drug Delivery SystemLong duration, controllable drug delivery is of wide interest to medical researchers and clinicians, particularly those seeking to improve treatment for patients with chronic pain or to prevent cancer recurrence after surgery...
Liquid Lasers May Better Detect Genes Linked To CancerUsing a liquid laser, University of Michigan researchers have developed a better way to detect the slight genetic mutations that might predispose a person to a particular type of cancer or other diseases. Their results are published in the current edition of the German journal Angewandte Chemie. This work could advance understanding of the genetic basis of diseases...
Preclinical Study Identifies New Target For Cancer TherapyScientists from the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (LICR) in Brussels identified a new target for cancer therapy, an enzyme which prevents the immune system from recognizing and destroying certain types of tumors. Called tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase or TDO, the enzyme works by depriving immune cells of tryptophan, an amino acid essential to their activity...
Defects In The Packaging Of DNA In Malignant Brain Tumors Glioblastomas grow extremely aggressively into healthy brain tissue and, moreover, are highly resistant to radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Therefore, they are regarded as the most malignant type of brain tumor. Currently available treatment methods are frequently not very effective against this type of cancer...
Barrett's Patients Who Smoke Are Twice As Likely To Develop Esophageal Cancer Barrett's esophagus (BE) patients who smoke tobacco are at a two-fold increased risk of developing esophageal cancer, according to a new study in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association. BE patients who smoke also double their risk for developing advanced precancerous cells...
Genetic Breakthrough For Brain Cancer In Children An international research team led by the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI MUHC) has made a major genetic breakthrough that could change the way pediatric cancers are treated in the future...
Childhood Brain Tumors Linked To Newly Discovered MutationsA recent study published in the online edition of the scientific journal Nature Genetics of rare, lethal childhood tumors of the brainstem has revealed that almost 80% of tumors contain gene mutations that have previously not been associated with cancer. According to early evidence, gene alterations also implicate other aggressive pediatric brain tumors...
Immunological Mechanisms Of Oncolytic Adenoviral TherapyCancer is one of the most common causes of death in humans. The conventional cancer therapies include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeting therapies, which are intended to directly destroy and eliminate tumor cells. These treatments often fail, resulting in tumor metastasis and recurrence. Therefore, there is a critical need for novel cancer therapies...