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Flower power may bring ray of sunshine to cancer sufferers
May 01, 2008A mini-protein found in sunflower seeds could be the key to stopping tumors spreading in prostate cancer patients, according to QUT researchers
The grants came from Queensland Cancer Research, the Prostate Cancer Foundation, and the National Health and Medical Research Council.
"We are interested in this miniprotein as a potential treatment of prostate cancer, in particular for those patients who relapse," said Dr Harris.
"The best thing to do in those cases is block the disease spreading to other organs, particularly the spine, which is very debilitating; it is not the prostate tumour that kills you, it is when the cancer cells escape from the prostate so we want to prevent that."
Another QUT researcher, Professor Judith Clements, had previously shown that the action of enzymes called proteases was a key event in tumour spread, and Dr Harris said that the sunflower mini-protein, known as the protease inhibitor, was able to block these enzymes in test tube-based assays.
"However, it also inhibits a whole range of proteases, some of which control important processes in the body, so we have re-engineered the molecule so it should just block the proteases produced in prostate cancer and hence stop tumour spreading, whilst leaving other processes intact," he said.
The National Health and Medical Research Council grant will allow Dr Harris and his team to perform tests on the re-engineered inhibitor in animals over the next months.
"It feels like we have been covered in a shower of gold at the moment, it is very exciting for us because we are a small team but we have been working very hard on this for a long time," he said.
"We are extremely happy because now we can carry out trials in mouse-models of prostate cancer and if we have positive results, we could get a pharmaceutical industry partner interested in the work.
"Currently bluebox, QUT's commercialisation company, is helping us towards that goal."
"The dream end-product is having a drug which could be produced in sunflower seeds and given as a simple dietary supplement for people with prostate cancer."
Queensland University of Technology
"The best thing to do in those cases is block the disease spreading to other organs, particularly the spine, which is very debilitating; it is not the prostate tumour that kills you, it is when the cancer cells escape from the prostate so we want to prevent that."
Another QUT researcher, Professor Judith Clements, had previously shown that the action of enzymes called proteases was a key event in tumour spread, and Dr Harris said that the sunflower mini-protein, known as the protease inhibitor, was able to block these enzymes in test tube-based assays.
"However, it also inhibits a whole range of proteases, some of which control important processes in the body, so we have re-engineered the molecule so it should just block the proteases produced in prostate cancer and hence stop tumour spreading, whilst leaving other processes intact," he said.
The National Health and Medical Research Council grant will allow Dr Harris and his team to perform tests on the re-engineered inhibitor in animals over the next months.
"It feels like we have been covered in a shower of gold at the moment, it is very exciting for us because we are a small team but we have been working very hard on this for a long time," he said.
"We are extremely happy because now we can carry out trials in mouse-models of prostate cancer and if we have positive results, we could get a pharmaceutical industry partner interested in the work.
"Currently bluebox, QUT's commercialisation company, is helping us towards that goal."
"The dream end-product is having a drug which could be produced in sunflower seeds and given as a simple dietary supplement for people with prostate cancer."
Queensland University of Technology
Prostate Cancer Current Events and Prostate Cancer News RSSDoes prostate-specific antigen velocity help in early detection prostate cancer?
The November issue of European Urology, the official journal of the European Association of Urology, features an article focussing on prostate specific antigen (PSA) velocity and early cancer detection. It has been suggested that changes in PSA over time aid prostate cancer detection.
New Synthetic Molecules Trigger Immune Response to HIV and Prostate Cancer
Researchers at Yale University have developed synthetic molecules capable of enhancing the body's immune response to HIV and HIV-infected cells, as well as to prostate cancer cells. Their findings, published online in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, could lead to novel therapeutic approaches for these diseases.
Chemo-radiation before prostate removal may prevent cancer recurrence
Researchers in the Oregon Health & Science University Knight Cancer Institute and the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center have found a combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy given before prostate removal is safe and may have the potential to reduce cancer recurrence and improve patient survival.
Blood vessels might predict prostate cancer behavior
A diagnosis of prostate cancer raises the question for patients and their physicians as to how the tumor will behave. Will it grow quickly and aggressively and require continuous treatment, or slowly, allowing therapy and its risks to be safely delayed?
Short-term hormone therapy and intermediate dose radiation increases survivial for early stage prostate cancer
Short-term hormone therapy given prior to and during intermediate dose radiation treatment for men with early stage prostate cancer increases their chance of living longer, compared to those who receive the same radiation alone.
Task force develops new radiation guidelines for brachytherapy
Radiation dose delivered to the prostate and nearby organs in every brachytherapy procedure should be carefully analyzed using post-implant CT or MRI and uniformly documented in every patient.
1 disease, not 1 demographic
The Asian continent has nearly four billion people living in 47 different countries, and each of these groups has their own unique set of health issues. But when they come to the United States, they're often lumped into one large demographic: "Asian/Pacific Islander."
Cancer survivors may not be getting the help they need to stop smoking
More than a quarter of cancer survivors who still smoke have not been advised to quit smoking by their health care providers in the last year, according to a study published by researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center in the current issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Experts issue call to reconsider screening for breast cancer and prostate cancer
Twenty years of screening for breast and prostate cancer - the most diagnosed cancer for women and men - have not brought the anticipated decline in deaths from these diseases, argue experts from the University of California, San Francisco and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio in an opinion piece published in the "Journal of the American Medical Association."
Detecting the undetectable in prostate cancer screening
A team of Northwestern University researchers, using an extremely sensitive tool based on nanotechnology, has detected previously undetectable levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in patients who have undergone radical prostatectomy.
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Dr. Patrick Walsh's Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer, Second Edition by Patrick C. Walsh (Author), Janet Farrar Worthington (Author) EVERY MAN NEEDS THIS BOOK! Each year, more than 200,00 American men are diagnosed with prostate cancer. The good news is that more men are being cured of this disease than ever before. Now in a revised second edition, this lifesaving guide by Dr. Patrick Walsh and ard-winning science writer Janet Farrar Worthington offers a message of hope to every man facing this illness. Prostate cancer is a different disease in every man--which means that the right treatment varies for each man. Giving you a second opinion from the world's top experts in surgery, pathology, urology, and radiation and medical oncology, this book helps you determine the best plan for you. Learn:What causes prostate cancer--your risk factors, including heredity, diet, and environmentHow some simple changes in your... |
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How We Survived Prostate Cancer: What We Did and What We Should Have Done by Victoria Hallerman (Author), Peter S. Albert M.D. (Foreword) Finally, a much-needed voice for the spouses and partners of prostate cancer survivors--an unflinchingly honest and beautifully written memoir about one couple's struggles and transformation that serves as a guide for others dealing with the disease. Facts: Though many sources exist for men dealing with this dreaded disease, their partners are often left on their own to figure out how to deal with personality changes and sudden "male menopause," how to redefine love and intimacy, and how to deal with side effects of the treatment. Victoria Hallerman, an accomplished... |
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The Cleveland Clinic Guide to Prostate Cancer (Cleveland Clinic Guides) by Eric Klein (Author) Expert medical advice from one of the nation’s top-ranked hospitals for urology and cancer care
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In The Cleveland Clinic Guide to Prostate Cancer, Dr. Eric A. Klein, ranked one of America’s best doctors, offers men the substantive information they need to prevent, treat, and even live well with prostate cancer. This excellent resource gives readers the trusted medical guidance Dr. Klein offers his patients, including:
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Eat to Beat Prostate Cancer Cookbook by David Ricketts (Author) Prostate cancer is now the most common nonskin cancer among men in the United States. In 2005 alone, 250,000 new cases were diagnosed, and that number is certain to rise with each passing year. No one is more aware of this than David Ricketts, experienced cookbook author and recent prostate cancer survivor. Shortly after surgery and radiation treatments, Ricketts began to research food and lifestyle changes that might inhibit the likelihood of prostate cancer as well as its progression. The result is this uniquely specific cookbook, which takes full advantage of foods thought to fight prostate cancer while eliminating those believed to contribute to the disease. Eat to Beat Prostate Cancer Cookbook features more than 200 delicious recipes for everything from snacks, sandwiches,... |
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