(Press-News.org) PHILADELPHIA -- Scientists are one step closer to repairing the damage caused by brain metastasis, a major challenge in cancer treatment, according to data published in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
"We are making progress from the neck down in cancer treatment, but brain metastases are increasing and are often a primary reason patients with breast cancer do not survive," said Patricia S. Steeg, Ph.D., head of the Women's Cancers Section at the National Cancer Institute's Center for Cancer Research.
Steeg, who is also a deputy editor of Clinical Cancer Research, another journal of the AACR, said very few drugs that are effective for the treatment of breast cancer break what scientists call the "blood–brain barrier" and treat disease established inside the brain.
Scientists are striving to understand the mechanisms and effects of brain cancer metastasis.
Steeg and colleagues observed the role of pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) on metastatic breast cancer cell lines. PEDF is currently being studied as a therapy for macular degeneration because it has been shown to protect neurons in the retina.
Researchers found that PEDF managed to suppress the brain metastatic activity of these lines. Furthermore, it exerted a prosurvival effect on neurons and shielded the brain from tumor-induced damage. Specifically, there was a 3.5-fold reduction in the number of dying neurons adjacent to tumors expressing PEDF.
Although further research is needed to confirm these findings and their applicability, Steeg said the findings represent a significant step forward in trying to manage this condition.
### This study was supported by the intramural research programs of the National Cancer Institute and the National Eye Institute and by the U.S. Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program.
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The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, the AACR is the world's oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes 33,000 laboratory, translational and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 90 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants, research fellowships and career development awards to young investigators, and it also funds cutting-edge research projects conducted by senior researchers.
The AACR has numerous fruitful collaborations with organizations and foundations in the U.S. and abroad, and functions as the Scientific Partner of Stand Up To Cancer, a charitable initiative that supports groundbreaking research aimed at getting new cancer treatments to patients in an accelerated time frame. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special Conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment and patient care, and Educational Workshops are held for the training of young cancer investigators. The AACR publishes seven major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Discovery; Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; and Cancer Prevention Research. In 2010, AACR journals received 20 percent of the total number of citations given to oncology journals. The AACR also publishes Cancer Today, a magazine for cancer patients, survivors and their caregivers, which provides practical knowledge and new hope for cancer survivors.
A major goal of the AACR is to educate the general public and policymakers about the value of cancer research in improving public health, the vital importance of increases in sustained funding for cancer research and biomedical science, and the need for national policies that foster innovation and the acceleration of progress against the 200 diseases we call cancer.
Hammerhouse LLC, an expanding national recruiting and strategic growth firm for the financial services industry with mortgage sales and leadership placement at its core, announced today that Managing Partner Steve Rennie was named to National Mortgage Professional Magazine's 2011 list of the top "40 Most Influential Mortgage Professionals Under 40." National Mortgage Professional is one of the mortgage industry's leading media trade outlets with a monthly print magazine, online news site and daily news distribution services through NMP Daily and Mortgage News ...
New Orleans, LA – Research led by Shyamal Desai, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, has discovered a key change in the body's defense system that increases the potential for breast cancer to spread to other parts of the body. The results, reported for the first time, are featured in the January 2012 issue of Experimental Biology and Medicine.
For cancer cells shape matters. All cells contain a protein cytoskeleton that acts as a scaffold determining overall shape and function, the position of the cell ...
Bethesda, MD—A new research study published in the January 2012 edition of The FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org) describes findings that could lead to a non-invasive test that would let expecting mothers know the sex of their baby as early as the first trimester. Specifically, researchers from South Korea discovered that various ratios of two enzymes (DYS14/GAPDH), which can be extracted from a pregnant mother's blood, indicate if the baby will be a boy or a girl. Such a test would be the first of its kind.
"Generally, early fetal gender determination has been performed ...
The latest version of Jolly Technologies' software is now available at ID Wholesaler, the largest photo identification products retailer. Jolly's new version 6 is easier to use, offers improved performance and connectivity, and includes enhanced support.
In addition to version 6, Jolly has released a new line of tracking products that are tailored to specific applications. Lobby Track is designed for visitor management; Member Track for membership management; Event Track for event badge production and attendee tracking; and Time Track for time and attendance. All of ...
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Scientists have found at least one instance when the smaller sibling gets to call the shots and cancer patients may one day benefit.
The protein Chk1 has long been known to be a checkpoint in cell development: it keeps normal cells and damaged cells from dividing until their DNA has been fully replicated or repaired. Now scientists at Georgia Health Sciences University and the California Institute of Technology have discovered a shorter form they've dubbed Chk1-S ("S" stands for short) that essentially neutralizes its longer sibling so cell division can ...
The Targeted Group has selected non-profit LIFESPAN for its TG Outreach program - a philanthropic program dedicated to supporting the local community through the time and services of The Targeted Group and its employees. The Targeted Group will develop and execute a comprehensive social media plan that supports LIFESPAN's mission to transform the lives of children and adults with developmental disabilities by providing education, employment and enrichment opportunities.
"We are thrilled to have been selected for the TG Outreach program. The Targeted Group's extensive ...
Pacific Timesheet has announced that on January 1, 2012 new SaaS Cloud Crew Timesheet pricing will be available to allow customers the option of paying for services using a variety of license options, including offline, supervisor, timekeeping licenses, time off request and timesheet signature licenses.
With this pricing schedule, only those users with direct access to the system will need to be licensed. However, if customers need field employees or other offline employees to verify and digitally "sign" their timesheets, or make time off requests for time ...
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A new study shows that it is possible to selectively target and block a particular microRNA that is important in liver cancer. The findings might offer a new therapy for this malignancy, which kills an estimated 549,000 people worldwide annually.
The animal study, by researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) and at Mayo Clinic, focused on microRNA-221 (miR-221), a molecule that is consistently present at abnormally high levels in liver ...
To reduce mortality and improve patient care in the nation's ICUs, a task force formed by the Critical Care Societies Collaborative (CCSC), in conjunction with the US Critical Illness and Injury Trials Group (USCIITG) has recommended that research in the field become less fragmented and better account for patient heterogeneity and the complexity of critical illness.
The CCSC comprises the American Thoracic Society (ATS), the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM). ...
Festival of Films has just announced its latest schedule of free indie films, documentaries and funny videos online for the first week of 2012. Available online at http://www.FestivalofFilms.com, the website serves as a resource for people looking to watch free full movies online and on their phones.
Festival of Films will start off the year with "Life in a Day," a 2011 documentary featuring an arrangement of user clips shot on June 24, 2010 and submitted via Youtube. Joining Festival of Films' selection of free documentaries online, "Life in a Day" ...
