Scientists are developing a new gene therapy approach that 'trains' the immune system to destroy brain cancer cells and may even restore normal brain function.
The approach is being tested on animal models with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), an aggressive form of brain cancer that often affects concentration, memory and balance as the tumour compresses nerve cells.
read the whole research update here
Showing posts with label cancer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cancer. Show all posts
Friday, February 22, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
New Warnings for Anti-Rejection Drug
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration revised the pregnancy category for mycophenolic acid (Myfortic) from category C to category D. A new, boxed warning has also been added to this immunosuppressant drug, which is used for combating rejection of solid organ transplants.
The change was prompted by reports of increased risk of pregnancy loss and congenital malformations in two different groups of women. The warnings caution women about the risk of specific congenital malformations that occur during the first trimester, especially involving the external ear, distal limbs, heart, esophagus, and kidneys. There is also a greater incidence of cleft lip and cleft palate deformities.
Two sets of data analysis supported the need for a pregnancy category change. In one set, 24 female transplant patients reported 33 pregnancies while taking anti-rejection drug regimens. These women experienced 15 spontaneous abortions and 18 live births, of which four (22%) had structural malformations. In the second set, 77 women experienced 25 spontaneous abortions, and 14 had a malformed infant or fetus.
Patient teaching: Stress the appropriate use of effective contraception during therapy with Myfortic. Before therapy can begin, women must have a negative pregnancy test. From that point forward, women must use two reliable methods of birth control at the same time. Women who desire to become pregnant must discuss their plans with their prescribing professional, and alternative methods of managing transplant rejection risk should be attempted.
Caution: Review current drug information before administering and monitoring medications.
source: nurse.com
The change was prompted by reports of increased risk of pregnancy loss and congenital malformations in two different groups of women. The warnings caution women about the risk of specific congenital malformations that occur during the first trimester, especially involving the external ear, distal limbs, heart, esophagus, and kidneys. There is also a greater incidence of cleft lip and cleft palate deformities.
Two sets of data analysis supported the need for a pregnancy category change. In one set, 24 female transplant patients reported 33 pregnancies while taking anti-rejection drug regimens. These women experienced 15 spontaneous abortions and 18 live births, of which four (22%) had structural malformations. In the second set, 77 women experienced 25 spontaneous abortions, and 14 had a malformed infant or fetus.
Patient teaching: Stress the appropriate use of effective contraception during therapy with Myfortic. Before therapy can begin, women must have a negative pregnancy test. From that point forward, women must use two reliable methods of birth control at the same time. Women who desire to become pregnant must discuss their plans with their prescribing professional, and alternative methods of managing transplant rejection risk should be attempted.
Caution: Review current drug information before administering and monitoring medications.
source: nurse.com
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Bottled water and cancer?
A cancer scare being widely circulated, allegedly from Johns Hopkins and Walter Reed Army Medical Center, warns the public that: (A) “Plastic containers or plastic wraps and bags release dioxin, a carcinogenic (cancer-producing) chemical, which contaminates the food items in contact with them, either on the countertop, in the microwave oven, or in the refrigerator or freezer… and (B) that frequent exposure to dioxin increases the incidence of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and reproductive and developmental problems.”
The Medical Facts
While statement B about the effects of frequent exposure to dioxin is a fact, there is no truth that water stored in plastic bottles in the refrigerator or freezer releases dioxin. This is an old wives’ tale, a hoax. There is NO dioxin in plastics, for one thing. And cooling or freeing slows down any chemical process, says Rolf Halden, PhD, PE, assistant professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and an expert on dioxins. Dr. Halden also clarifies where dioxins come from: “We always thought dioxins were man-made compounds produced inadvertently during the bleaching of pulp and manufacturing of pesticides like Agent Orange and other chlorinated aromatics. But dioxins in sediments from lakes and oceans predate these human activities. It is now generally accepted that a principal source of dioxins are various combustion processes, including natural events such as wild fires and even volcanic eruptions.”
He added that “today, the critical issue is the incineration of waste, particularly the incineration of hospital waste, which contains a great deal of polyvinyl chloride plastics and aromatic compounds that can serve as dioxin precursors. One study examined the burning of household trash in drums in the backyard. It turns out that these small burnings of debris can put out as much or more dioxins as a full-sized incinerator burning hundreds of tons of refuse per day.”
Dr. Halden further explained that “the incinerators are equipped with state-of-the-art emission controls that limit dioxin formation and their release into the environment, but the backyard trash burning does not. You set it ablaze and chemistry takes over. What happens next is that the dioxins are sent into the atmosphere where they become attached to particles and fall back to earth. Then they bind to, or are taken up, by fish and other animals, where they get concentrated and stored in fat before eventually ending up on our lunch and dinner plates. People are exposed to them mostly from eating meat and fish rich in fat.”
How about plastic wares and wraps in a microwave? Dr. Halden has this to say: “In general, whenever you heat something, you increase the likelihood of pulling chemicals out. Chemicals can be released from plastic packaging materials like the kinds used in some microwave meals. Some drinking straws say on the label ‘not for hot beverages.’ Most people think this warning is to prevent people from getting burned. If you put a straw into a boiling cup of hot coffee, you basically have a hot water extraction going on, where the chemicals in the straw are being extracted into your nice cup of coffee. If you are cooking with plastics or using plastic utensils, the best thing to do is to follow the directions and only use plastics that are specifically meant for cooking. Inert containers are best, for example, heat-resistant glass, ceramics and good old stainless steel.”
Aluminum cook wares are also dangerous. Toxicity from this mineral can cause serious long term effects. Aluminum is a most abundant minerals on earth and very toxic to the nervous systems in infants and adults. Toxicity can potentially cause memory deficits, Alzheimer’s, Lou Gehrig’s (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), Parkinson’s diseases, osteomalacia, glucose intolerance, and anemia.
A side comment on toxicity: it is prudent to hold your breath or cover your nose when using hair spray, or when handling any chemicals, like muriatic acid and other household cleaning agents. The so-called car or home deodorizers, or air freshener spray or wax or liquids, are unhealthy, especially to children, with or without allergies or asthma. Our ambient air is already polluted. Let’s not add to it. The less chemicals in the air we breathe in, the better.
So, for those who are concerned anyway, in spite of reassurances from the US-FDA and experts that there are no dioxins in plastics, the alternative is to use glass, ceramic containers and covers for food or drinks. TV dinners, instant cup noodles, or soups should be removed from their original styrofoam or plastic containers and heated in glass or ceramic wares, in a microwave, or stainless steel over a conventional stove. This will eliminate any doubt and give us peace of mind.
Cancers are indeed scary, and devastating to the lives of the patient and the family, that it behooves all of us to really be careful and heed the advice of experts. It is better to err on the safe side by being overly cautious than to be sorry later.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
How to perform a skin self-exam
The best time to do a skin self-exam is after a shower or bath.
You should check your skin in a well-lighted room using a full-length mirror and a hand-held mirror. It's best to begin by learning where your birthmarks, moles, and blemishes are and what they usually look and feel like.
Check for anything new:
A new mole (that looks abnormal)
A change in the size, shape, color, or texture of a mole
A sore that does not heal
Check yourself from head to toe. Don't forget to check all areas of the skin, including the back, the scalp, between the buttocks, and the genital area.
1. Look at your face, neck, ears, and scalp. You may want to use a comb or a blow dryer to move your hair so that you can see better. You also may want to have a relative or friend check through your hair because this is difficult to do yourself.
2. Look at the front and back of your body in the mirror, then raise your arms and look at your left and right sides.
3. Bend your elbows and look carefully at your fingernails, palms, forearms (including the undersides), and upper arms.
4. Examine the back, front, and sides of your legs. Also look between your buttocks and around your genital area.
5. Sit and closely examine your feet, including the toenails, the soles, and the spaces between the toes.
By checking your skin regularly, you will become familiar with what is normal for you. It may be helpful to record the dates of your skin exams and to write notes about the way your skin looks. If you find anything unusual, see your doctor right away.
You should check your skin in a well-lighted room using a full-length mirror and a hand-held mirror. It's best to begin by learning where your birthmarks, moles, and blemishes are and what they usually look and feel like.
Check for anything new:
A new mole (that looks abnormal)
A change in the size, shape, color, or texture of a mole
A sore that does not heal
Check yourself from head to toe. Don't forget to check all areas of the skin, including the back, the scalp, between the buttocks, and the genital area.
1. Look at your face, neck, ears, and scalp. You may want to use a comb or a blow dryer to move your hair so that you can see better. You also may want to have a relative or friend check through your hair because this is difficult to do yourself.
2. Look at the front and back of your body in the mirror, then raise your arms and look at your left and right sides.
3. Bend your elbows and look carefully at your fingernails, palms, forearms (including the undersides), and upper arms.
4. Examine the back, front, and sides of your legs. Also look between your buttocks and around your genital area.
5. Sit and closely examine your feet, including the toenails, the soles, and the spaces between the toes.
By checking your skin regularly, you will become familiar with what is normal for you. It may be helpful to record the dates of your skin exams and to write notes about the way your skin looks. If you find anything unusual, see your doctor right away.
Melanoma
Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer. However, if it is recognized and treated early, it is nearly 100 percent curable.
Melanoma is a malignant tumor that originates in melanocytes, the cells which produce the pigment melanin that colors our skin, hair, and eyes. The majority of melanomas are black or brown. However, some melanomas are skin-colored, pink, red, purple, blue or white.
Signs and Symptoms
Thinking of "ABCD" can help you remember what to watch for:
Asymmetry - the shape of one half does not match the other
Border - the edges are ragged, blurred or irregular
Color - the color in uneven and may include shades of black, brown and tan
Diameter - there is a change in size, usually an increase
click here for interactive tutorials about melanoma
Doctors recommend that people take steps to help prevent and reduce the risk of melanoma caused by UV radiation:
Avoid exposure to the midday sun (from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) whenever possible.
When your shadow is shorter than you are, remember to protect yourself from the sun.
If you must be outside, wear long sleeves, long pants, and a hat with a wide brim.
Protect yourself from UV radiation that can penetrate light clothing, windshields, and windows.
Protect yourself from UV radiation reflected by sand, water, snow, and ice.
Help protect your skin by using a lotion, cream, or gel that contains sunscreen.
Many doctors believe sunscreens may help prevent melanoma, especially sunscreens that reflect, absorb, and/or scatter both types of ultraviolet radiation. These sunscreen products will be labeled with "broad-spectrum coverage." Sunscreens are rated in strength according to a sun protection factor (SPF). The higher the SPF, the more sunburn protection is provided. Sunscreens with an SPF value of 2 to 11 provide minimal protection against sunburns. Sunscreens with an SPF of 12 to 29 provide moderate protection.
Those with an SPF of 30 or higher provide the most protection against sunburn.
Wear sunglasses that have UV-absorbing lenses. The label should specify that the lenses block at least 99 percent of UVA and UVB radiation. Sunglasses can protect both the eyes and the skin around the eyes.
Learn how to perform skin self-exam
Diagnosis
A biopsy is the only way to make a definite diagnosis. In this procedure, the doctor tries to remove all of the suspicious-looking growth. This is an excisional biopsy. If the growth is too large to be removed entirely, the doctor removes a sample of the tissue. The doctor will never "shave off" or cauterize a growth that might be melanoma.
A biopsy can usually be done in the doctor's office using local anesthesia. A pathologist then examines the tissue under a microscope to check for cancer cells. Sometimes it is helpful for more than one pathologist to check the tissue for cancer cells.
Staging
If the diagnosis is melanoma, the doctor needs to learn the extent, or stage, of the disease before planning treatment. Staging is a careful attempt to learn how thick the tumor is, how deeply the melanoma has invaded the skin, and whether melanoma cells have spread to nearby lymph nodes or other parts of the body. The doctor may remove nearby lymph nodes to check for cancer cells. (Such surgery may be considered part of the treatment because removing cancerous lymph nodes may help control the disease.) The doctor also does a careful physical exam and, if the tumor is thick, may order chest x-rays, blood tests, and scans of the liver, bones, and brain.
Stages of melanoma
The following stages are used for melanoma:
Stage 0: In stage 0, the melanoma cells are found only in the outer layer of skin cells and have not invaded deeper tissues.
Stage I: Melanoma in stage I is thin:
The tumor is no more than 1 millimeter (1/25 inch) thick. The outer layer (epidermis) of skin may appear scraped. (This is called an ulceration).
Or, the tumor is between 1 and 2 millimeters (1/12 inch) thick. There is no ulceration.The melanoma cells have not spread to nearby lymph nodes.
Stage II: The tumor is at least 1 millimeter thick:
The tumor is between 1 and 2 millimeters thick. There is ulceration.
Or, the thickness of the tumor is more than 2 millimeters. There may be ulceration.The melanoma cells have not spread to nearby lymph nodes.
Stage III: The melanoma cells have spread to nearby tissues:
The melanoma cells have spread to one or more nearby lymph nodes.
Or, the melanoma cells have spread to tissues just outside the original tumor but not to any lymph nodes.
Stage IV: The melanoma cells have spread to other organs, to lymph nodes, or to skin areas far away from the original tumor.
Recurrent: Recurrent disease means that the cancer has come back (recurred) after it has been treated. It may have come back in the original site or in another part of the body.
Melanoma is a malignant tumor that originates in melanocytes, the cells which produce the pigment melanin that colors our skin, hair, and eyes. The majority of melanomas are black or brown. However, some melanomas are skin-colored, pink, red, purple, blue or white.
Signs and Symptoms
Thinking of "ABCD" can help you remember what to watch for:
Asymmetry - the shape of one half does not match the other
Border - the edges are ragged, blurred or irregular
Color - the color in uneven and may include shades of black, brown and tan
Diameter - there is a change in size, usually an increase
click here for interactive tutorials about melanoma
Doctors recommend that people take steps to help prevent and reduce the risk of melanoma caused by UV radiation:
Avoid exposure to the midday sun (from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) whenever possible.
When your shadow is shorter than you are, remember to protect yourself from the sun.
If you must be outside, wear long sleeves, long pants, and a hat with a wide brim.
Protect yourself from UV radiation that can penetrate light clothing, windshields, and windows.
Protect yourself from UV radiation reflected by sand, water, snow, and ice.
Help protect your skin by using a lotion, cream, or gel that contains sunscreen.
Many doctors believe sunscreens may help prevent melanoma, especially sunscreens that reflect, absorb, and/or scatter both types of ultraviolet radiation. These sunscreen products will be labeled with "broad-spectrum coverage." Sunscreens are rated in strength according to a sun protection factor (SPF). The higher the SPF, the more sunburn protection is provided. Sunscreens with an SPF value of 2 to 11 provide minimal protection against sunburns. Sunscreens with an SPF of 12 to 29 provide moderate protection.
Those with an SPF of 30 or higher provide the most protection against sunburn.
Wear sunglasses that have UV-absorbing lenses. The label should specify that the lenses block at least 99 percent of UVA and UVB radiation. Sunglasses can protect both the eyes and the skin around the eyes.
Learn how to perform skin self-exam
Diagnosis
A biopsy is the only way to make a definite diagnosis. In this procedure, the doctor tries to remove all of the suspicious-looking growth. This is an excisional biopsy. If the growth is too large to be removed entirely, the doctor removes a sample of the tissue. The doctor will never "shave off" or cauterize a growth that might be melanoma.
A biopsy can usually be done in the doctor's office using local anesthesia. A pathologist then examines the tissue under a microscope to check for cancer cells. Sometimes it is helpful for more than one pathologist to check the tissue for cancer cells.
Staging
If the diagnosis is melanoma, the doctor needs to learn the extent, or stage, of the disease before planning treatment. Staging is a careful attempt to learn how thick the tumor is, how deeply the melanoma has invaded the skin, and whether melanoma cells have spread to nearby lymph nodes or other parts of the body. The doctor may remove nearby lymph nodes to check for cancer cells. (Such surgery may be considered part of the treatment because removing cancerous lymph nodes may help control the disease.) The doctor also does a careful physical exam and, if the tumor is thick, may order chest x-rays, blood tests, and scans of the liver, bones, and brain.
Stages of melanoma
The following stages are used for melanoma:
Stage 0: In stage 0, the melanoma cells are found only in the outer layer of skin cells and have not invaded deeper tissues.
Stage I: Melanoma in stage I is thin:
The tumor is no more than 1 millimeter (1/25 inch) thick. The outer layer (epidermis) of skin may appear scraped. (This is called an ulceration).
Or, the tumor is between 1 and 2 millimeters (1/12 inch) thick. There is no ulceration.The melanoma cells have not spread to nearby lymph nodes.
Stage II: The tumor is at least 1 millimeter thick:
The tumor is between 1 and 2 millimeters thick. There is ulceration.
Or, the thickness of the tumor is more than 2 millimeters. There may be ulceration.The melanoma cells have not spread to nearby lymph nodes.
Stage III: The melanoma cells have spread to nearby tissues:
The melanoma cells have spread to one or more nearby lymph nodes.
Or, the melanoma cells have spread to tissues just outside the original tumor but not to any lymph nodes.
Stage IV: The melanoma cells have spread to other organs, to lymph nodes, or to skin areas far away from the original tumor.
Recurrent: Recurrent disease means that the cancer has come back (recurred) after it has been treated. It may have come back in the original site or in another part of the body.
Call it Quits!
How many of your friends or family members smoke? Do you smoke?
For non-smokers, isn't it just unfair that we try so hard to maintain our health only to inhale second-hand smoke?
Cigarette smoking can really be dangerous. It kills. It is the leading cause of lung cancer.
There are approximately 4000 chemicals in cigarette smoke, many of them toxic. The ingredients in cigarettes affect everything from the internal functioning of organs to the efficiency of the body's immune system. The effects of cigarette smoking are destructive and widespread.
Toxic ingredients in cigarette smoke travel throughout the body, causing damage in several different ways.
Nicotine reaches the brain within 10 seconds after smoke is inhaled. It has been found in every part of the body and in breast milk.
Carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin in red blood cells, preventing affected cells from carrying a full load of oxygen.
Cancer-causing agents (carcinogens) in tobacco smoke damage important genes that control the growth of cells, causing them to grow abnormally or to reproduce too rapidly.
The carcinogen benzo(a)pyrene binds to cells in the airways and major organs of smokers.
Smoking affects the function of the immune system and may increase the risk for respiratory and other infections.
There are several likely ways that cigarette smoke does its damage.
One is oxidative stress that mutates DNA, promotes atherosclerosis, and leads to chronic lung injury. Oxidative stress is thought to be the general mechanism behind the aging process, contributing to the development of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and COPD.
The body produces antioxidants to help repair damaged cells. Smokers have lower levels of antioxidants in their blood than do nonsmokers.
Smoking is associated with higher levels of chronic inflammation, another damaging process that may result in oxidative stress.
People! Don't you want to prolong your life? Live to a hundred, see your grandchildren grow up? Reap the fruits of your labor?
Then stay healthy.
For non-smokers, isn't it just unfair that we try so hard to maintain our health only to inhale second-hand smoke?
Cigarette smoking can really be dangerous. It kills. It is the leading cause of lung cancer.
There are approximately 4000 chemicals in cigarette smoke, many of them toxic. The ingredients in cigarettes affect everything from the internal functioning of organs to the efficiency of the body's immune system. The effects of cigarette smoking are destructive and widespread.
Toxic ingredients in cigarette smoke travel throughout the body, causing damage in several different ways.
Nicotine reaches the brain within 10 seconds after smoke is inhaled. It has been found in every part of the body and in breast milk.
Carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin in red blood cells, preventing affected cells from carrying a full load of oxygen.
Cancer-causing agents (carcinogens) in tobacco smoke damage important genes that control the growth of cells, causing them to grow abnormally or to reproduce too rapidly.
The carcinogen benzo(a)pyrene binds to cells in the airways and major organs of smokers.
Smoking affects the function of the immune system and may increase the risk for respiratory and other infections.
There are several likely ways that cigarette smoke does its damage.
One is oxidative stress that mutates DNA, promotes atherosclerosis, and leads to chronic lung injury. Oxidative stress is thought to be the general mechanism behind the aging process, contributing to the development of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and COPD.
The body produces antioxidants to help repair damaged cells. Smokers have lower levels of antioxidants in their blood than do nonsmokers.
Smoking is associated with higher levels of chronic inflammation, another damaging process that may result in oxidative stress.
People! Don't you want to prolong your life? Live to a hundred, see your grandchildren grow up? Reap the fruits of your labor?
Then stay healthy.
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