PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Non-uniform genetic mutations identified in lung cancers could lead to targeted treatment

2014-04-23
(Press-News.org) The research, published in the journal Oncotarget, explored tumour heterogeneity – where different cells have different appearances or their own DNA signatures within the same cancer. Such differences could make it difficult to design effective, targeted treatment strategies.

Firstly they confirmed the mutual exclusivity between the EGFR mutation and either the KRAS or BRAF mutation. Secondly, they found that lung cancers driven by the EGFR gene mutation have that specific mutation present uniformly throughout the tumour, regardless of microscopic appearance. In stark contrast, they discovered that some tumours, with either KRAS or BRAF gene mutations, do not have the mutation present in all parts of the tumour.


Lead researcher Associate Professor Gavin Wright from the University of Melbourne and Director of Surgical Oncology at St Vincent's Hospital, said the findings are good news for patients whose tumours contain treatable mutations in the EGFR gene.

Lung adenocarcinomas (the most common form of lung cancer) that feature the EGFR gene mutation tend to occur in women and non-smokers. They are very effectively treated by the oral drug gefitinib, so it is vital that this mutation is accurately detected.

"Because we found that this particular EGFR mutation was present throughout all areas of such tumours tested, patients with this mutation will be easily identified, even by small needle biopsies."

"This means they will always be offered the appropriate targeted treatment drug, which is more effective than standard chemotherapy for these cases," he said.

"Fortunately, the diagnostic accuracy for biopsies of lung cancers with this mutation is only dependent on there being sufficient tumour cells for testing."

The story is a little more complicated for other lung cancers, though. The researchers found that two less common mutations – KRAS and BRAF - could be missed in small biopsy samples. In more than a quarter of the cases they tested, the mutation was only present in one subtype of the tumour and not necessarily uniformly.


"These genetic mutations cannot be so confidently biopsied due to the possibility of being absent in a significant component but present in only the more aggressive part of the cancer," Associate Professor Wright said. 


"These findings have significance for diagnostics and for precision medicine in lung adenocarcinoma and may lead to similar studies in other tumour types."

INFORMATION: END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

ADHD drug may help preserve our self-control resources

2014-04-23
Methylphenidate, also known as Ritalin, may prevent the depletion of self-control, according to research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. Self-control can be difficult — sticking with a diet or trying to focus attention on a boring textbook are hard things to do. Considerable research suggests one potential explanation for this difficulty: Exerting self-control for a long period seems to "deplete" our ability to exert self-control effectively on subsequent tasks. "It is as if self-control is a limited resource ...

Functional electrical stimulation improves neuronal regeneration after cerebral infarction

Functional electrical stimulation improves neuronal regeneration after cerebral infarction
2014-04-23
Previous studies have shown that proliferation of endogenous neural precursor cells cannot alone compensate for the damage to neurons and axons. From the perspective of neural plasticity, Dr. Yun Xiang and co-workers from Sun Yat-sen University in China observed the effects of functional electrical stimulation treatment on endogenous neural precursor cell proliferation and expression of basic fibroblast growth factor and epidermal growth factor in the rat brain on the infarct side. The researchers found that functional electrical stimulation can promote endogenous neural ...

Toward unraveling the Alzheimer's mystery

2014-04-23
Getting to the bottom of Alzheimer's disease has been a rapidly evolving pursuit with many twists, turns and controversies. In the latest crook in the research road, scientists have found a new insight into the interaction between proteins associated with the disease. The report, which appears in the journal ACS Chemical Neuroscience, could have important implications for developing novel treatments. Witold K. Surewicz, Krzysztof Nieznanski and colleagues explain that for years, research has suggested a link between protein clumps, known as amyloid-beta plaques, in the ...

Genetics risk, prenatal smoking may predict behavioral problems

2014-04-23
HUNTSVILLE, TX (4/23/14) -- Researchers have found evidence of an interaction between prenatal smoking and genetic risk factors that increase aggressive behavior in children, especially in girls. "The interesting issue is that not all children exposed to prenatal smoking will have behavioral problems. Some might, but others will not," said Brian Boutwell, Assistant Professor at Sam Houston State University, College of Criminal Justice and senior author on the study. "One possible explanation for this is that the effect of prenatal smoke exposure depends on the presence ...

Scientists identify cancer specific cell for potential treatment of gastric cancer

2014-04-23
A team of scientists led by a researcher from the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore (CSI Singapore) at the National University of Singapore has identified the cancer specific stem cell which causes gastric cancer. This discovery opens up the possibility of developing new drugs for the treatment of this disease and other types of cancers. The research group, led by Dr Chan Shing Leng, Research Assistant Professor at CSI Singapore, demonstrated for the first time that a cancer-specific variant of a cell surface protein, CD44v8-10, marks gastric cancer stem cells but ...

Researchers compare hip width and sexual behavior

2014-04-23
In a new study, women who were more inclined to have one-night stands had wider hips, reveals Colin A. Hendrie of the University of Leeds in the UK. He is the lead author of a study into how a woman's build influences her sexual behavior, published in Springer's journal Archives of Sexual Behavior. The study into whether hip width or waist-to-hip ratio was a better predictor of a woman's sexual behavior was conducted among 148 women between 18 and 26 years old. The participants all had at least one sexual partner previously. Their hip width (defined as the distance between ...

Cell division speed influences gene architecture

Cell division speed influences gene architecture
2014-04-23
This news release is available in Portuguese. Speed-reading is a technique used to read quickly. It involves visual searching for clues to meaning and skipping non-essential words and/ or sentences. Similarly to humans, biological systems are sometimes under selective pressure to quickly "read" genetic information. Genes that need to be read quickly are usually small, as the smaller the encoding message, the easier it will be to read them quickly. Now, researchers from Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (IGC, Portugal) and Centre for Molecular and Structural Biomedicine ...

How to avoid water wars between 'fracking' industry and residents

2014-04-23
The shale gas boom has transformed the energy landscape in the U.S., but in some drier locations, it could cause conflict among the energy industry, residents and agricultural interests over already-scarce water resources, say researchers. They add that degraded water quality is a potential risk unless there are adequate safeguards. The feature article appears in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology. Meagan S. Mauter and colleagues point out that a major criticism of extracting shale gas through hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," is that it requires tremendous ...

RI Hospital physician: Legalizing medical marijuana doesn't increase use among adolescents

2014-04-23
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Parents and physicians concerned about an increase in adolescents' marijuana use following the legalization of medical marijuana can breathe a sigh of relief. According to a new study at Rhode Island Hospital which compared 20 years worth of data from states with and without medical marijuana laws, legalizing the drug did not lead to increased use among adolescents. The study is published online in advance of print in the Journal of Adolescent Health. "Any time a state considers legalizing medical marijuana, there are concerns from the public about ...

In lab tests, the antimicrobial ingredient triclosan spurs growth of breast cancer cells

2014-04-23
Some manufacturers are turning away from using triclosan as an antimicrobial ingredient in soaps, toothpastes and other products over health concerns. And now scientists are reporting new evidence that appears to support these worries. Their study, published in the ACS journal Chemical Research in Toxicology, found that triclosan, as well as another commercial substance called octylphenol, promoted the growth of human breast cancer cells in lab dishes and breast cancer tumors in mice. Kyung-Chul Choi and colleagues note that hormonal imbalances seem to play a role in ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Ancient isolation’s impact on modern ecology

Synaptic protein change during development offers clues on evolution and disease

How commercial rooftop solar power could bring affordable clean energy to low-income homes

Taking a closer look at pulmonary fibrosis genetics

Cats with MDR1 mutation at risk of severe reactions to popular medication

IOP Publishing and IPEM mandate reporting of sex and gender in research 

Dogs trained to detect trauma stress by smelling humans’ breath

Electronic device thermal management made simpler and slightly better!

Study: Dangerous surgical site infections can be reduced with simple prevention protocol

Genetic testing of patients with atrial fibrillation can alert clinicians to potential development of life-threatening conditions

Artificial Intelligence tool successfully predicts fatal heart rhythm

What progress has China made in agriculture green development over the past five years?

ALMA finds new molecular signposts in starburst galaxy

Open waste burning linked to air pollution in Northwestern Greenland

Google Street View reveals how built environment correlates with risk of cardiovascular disease

Connecting the dots to shape growth forces

Parental avoidance of toxic exposures could help prevent autism, ADHD in children, new study shows

Trends in the incidence of renal replacement therapy due to rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis in Japan, 2006–2021

Olympics not likely to swallow up skateboarding’s subversive nature into its corporate spectacle, study says

Looking after the NHS workforce must be a top priority, say experts

Prolonged use of certain hormone drugs linked to increased brain tumor risk

Delirium a ‘strong risk factor’ for dementia among older people

People experiencing homelessness more likely to develop dementia at younger ages, study finds

Can metalens be commercialized at a fraction of the cost?

Reclaim ‘wellness’ from the rich and famous, and restore its political radicalism, new book argues

Curtin research unlocks supernova stardust secrets

New documents reveal patient safety concerns over strike day cover

UTA hosts Solar-bration watch party for April 8 eclipse

Researchers discover molecule that promotes production of cancer cells in triple-negative breast cancer

New tool provides researchers with improved understanding of stem cell aging in the brain

[Press-News.org] Non-uniform genetic mutations identified in lung cancers could lead to targeted treatment