 |
|
Lasers Penetrate Cancer's Gene Secrets
July 04, 2002LIGHT SABRES and phaser guns may be the stuff of science fiction, but laser technology has brought an important step forward in our present-day understanding of cancer, a study reveals this week.*
By using miniature lasers to probe pancreatic tumours, Cancer Research UK scientists have implicated three new genes in the development of the disease.
Their discovery could be important for the treatment of pancreatic cancer, as scientists aim to develop new drugs targeted at the genes. And researchers are optimistic that using lasers will accelerate progress against a number of other cancers.
Pancreatic cancer affects nearly 7,000 people in the UK each year and has a very poor survival rate. The disease has proved difficult to study, since pancreatic tumours are a complex mix of cancer cells and non-cancerous tissue. Analysing a tumour as a whole fails to give an accurate picture of what is going on within the cancer cells.
But Prof Nick Lemoine and his colleagues at Cancer Research UK's Molecular Oncology Unit in Hammersmith used lasers to cut out slivers of 'pure cancer' from the heart of each tumour.
The technique - called Laser Capture Microdissection - allowed them to analyse the cancer cells in unprecedented detail, measuring the genetic changes that occur during the development of the disease.
Prof Lemoine comments: "Our knowledge of pancreatic cancer has been held back by the lack of the technology needed to separate out the cancer cells from all the surrounding mess. But by combining laser technology with conventional techniques, we've been able to home in on the disease's genetic causes much more closely than was possible before."
Scientists are interested not only in which genes are turned on in cancer, but the level to which they are switched. Each gene is controlled by the equivalent of a volume control, and, scientists found that three genes - called ABL2, Notch4 and SOD1 - were turned up to a much higher volume in cancer cells than in their healthy counterparts. They believe these are likely to be crucial to cancer's growth and development and could be important targets for drugs of the future.
Prof Lemoine adds: "We're really excited by our discovery, as these genes all appear to be extremely important in the development of pancreatic cancer. We're already in the process of finding out exactly what the genes do in cancer cells, and the next step will be to develop drugs to block their function."
Sir Paul Nurse, Interim Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK, says: "Cancer is a highly complex disease and it often takes a fresh approach to move our understanding forward. Until now we had no idea that any of these genes were involved in the disease, so it's an important step forward in our search for new gene-targeted treatments."
Ends
Cancer Research UK
Pancreatic Cancer Current Events and Pancreatic Cancer News RSSStanford blood scanner detects even faint indicators of cancer
A team led by Stanford researchers has developed a prototype blood scanner that can find cancer markers in the bloodstream in early stages of the disease, potentially allowing for earlier treatment and dramatically improved chances of survival.
2 new compounds show promise for eliminating breast cancer tumors
Two new compounds created by a University of Central Florida professor show early promise for destroying breast cancer tumors.
The miseries of allergies just may help prevent some cancers, study finds
There may be a silver -- and healthy -- lining to the miserable cloud of allergy symptoms: Sneezing, coughing, tearing and itching just may help prevent cancer -- particularly colon, skin, bladder, mouth, throat, uterus and cervix, lung and gastrointestinal tract cancer, according to a new Cornell study.
Cancer drugs my build and not tear down blood vessels
Scientists have thought that one way to foil a tumor from generating blood vessels to feed its growth - a process called angiogenesis - was by creating drugs aimed at stopping a key vessel growth-promoting protein. But now the opposite seems to be true.
UC Davis researchers discover Achilles' heel in pancreatic cancer
UC Davis Cancer Center researchers have discovered a metabolic deficiency in pancreatic cancer cells that can be used to slow the progress of the deadliest of all cancers.
Jefferson Department of Surgery announces new pancreas tumor registry
Charles J. Yeo, M.D., Samuel D. Gross Professor and Chair, Department of Surgery at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, announces the establishment of the new Jefferson Pancreas Tumor Registry (JPTR).
Supercomputer provides massive computational boost to biomedical research at TGen
In less time than the blink of an eye, the Translational Genomics Research Institute's new supercomputer at Arizona State University can do operations equal to every dollar in the recent Wall Street bailout.
Hepatitis B exposure may increase risk for pancreatic cancer
In a first-of-its-kind finding, researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center have discovered that exposure to the hepatitis B virus (HBV) may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer.
Study finds association between hepatitis B and pancreatic cancer
A new study has shown that evidence of past hepatitis B infection was twice as common in people with pancreatic cancer than in healthy controls. This study is the first to report an association between past exposure to the hepatitis B virus and pancreatic cancer, but researchers cautioned that more studies are necessary to evaluate the nature of the link.
Jefferson scientists deliver toxic genes to effectively kill pancreatic cancer cells
A research team, led by investigators at the Department of Surgery at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University and the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson, has achieved a substantial "kill" of pancreatic cancer cells by using nanoparticles to successfully deliver a deadly diphtheria toxin gene.
More Pancreatic Cancer Current Events and Pancreatic Cancer News Articles
 | Pancreatic Cancer (M.D. Anderson Solid Tumor Oncology Series) Since the previous M.D. Anderson Solid Tumor Oncology Series publication on pancreatic cancer, there have been major advances in our understanding of molecular events which underlie pancreatic cancer development, both in the sporadic and inherited forms. We have seen the development of the first mouse models that accurately recapitulate features of the human disease. Several landmark clinical... |
 | 100 Q&A About Pancreatic Cancer (100 Questions Series) by Joanne Frankel Kelvin Eileen O'Reilly EMPOWER YOURSELF! Whether you’re a newly diagnosed pancreatic cancer patient, a survivor, or a friend or relative of someone with pancreatic cancer, this book offers help. The only text to provide a doctor’s and patient’s view, 100 Questions & Answers About Pancreatic Cancer gives you authoritative, practical answers to your questions about treatment options, post-treatment quality of... |
 | Pancreatic Cancer (Recent Results in Cancer Research) Although pancreatic cancer is one of the most serious forms of cancers, the outlook for patients could be improved. The lack of clinical symptoms of early, surgically removable disease most often limits curative treatment options. The aggressive tumor cell biology, leading to a locally advanced nature of the disease and to early metastases, allows curative resection in only 20% of patients at the... |
 | Pancreatic Cancer Medical Guide by Qontro Medical Guides The Pancreatic Cancer Medical Guide is a publication which has been designed to better help readers understand Pancreatic Cancer. This Qontro Medical Guide has been designed with the reader in mind, and is a useful information source for readers at all levels looking to learn more about Pancreatic Cancer. The Pancreatic Cancer Medical Guide is highly recommended for those interested in... |
| 100 Questions & Answers About Pancreatic Cancer, 2nd Edition (100 Questions & Answers about . . .) by Eileen O'Reilly Empower yourself!Whether you're a newly diagnosed pancreatic cancer patient, a survivor, or friend or relative of someone with pancreatic cancer, this book offers help. The only text to provide a doctor's and a patient's view, 100 Questions & Answers About Pancreatic Cancer, Second Edition gives you authoritative, practical answers to your questions about treatment options, post-treatment quality... | |
 | Pancreatic Cancer: Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Treatment A distinguished panel of world authorities reviews the current state of today's understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of pancreatic cancer. Their cutting-edge reviews discuss both medical and surgical modalities and include numerous insights into the basic molecular processes underlying the disease. Among the key topics covered are the prospects for early diagnosis using molecular techniques,... |
 | My Journey With Pancreatic Cancer by Calvin E. Rains Sr. This book is shared to help all understand the cancer affecting the pancreas which is a vital organ in the digestion of food. Pancreatic cancer is one of the most deadly of cancers affecting the human body. Less than 5% of those diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer survive the first year. This book is intended to help the patient, their families, and friends to understand the dangers and possible... |
 | Pancreatic Cancer by Daniel D. Von Hoff (Editor) Praise for the book “An outstanding text covering all aspects of pancreatic cancer, from embryology through genetics and pathology, and including all avenues of treatment. There are 112 internationally recognized authors, the book is marvelously illustrated, and is a must for all scientists and clinicians interested in neoplasms of the pancreas. It is currently the most up-to-date and... |
 | The Official Patient's Sourcebook on Pancreatic Cancer: A Revised and Updated Directory for the Internet Age by Icon Health Publications This book has been created for patients who have decided to make education and research an integral part of the treatment process. Although it also gives information useful to doctors, caregivers and other health professionals, it tells patients where and how to look for information covering virtually all topics related to pancreatic cancer (also Cancer pancreas; Pancreatic cancer), from the... |
 | Pancreatic Cancer - A Medical Dictionary, Bibliography, and Annotated Research Guide to Internet References by ICON Health Publications In March 2001, the National Institutes of Health issued the following warning: "The number of Web sites offering health-related resources grows every day. Many sites provide valuable information, while others may have information that is unreliable or misleading." Furthermore, because of the rapid increase in Internet-based information, many hours can be wasted searching, selecting, and... |
| © 2008 BrightSurf.com |