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New therapy strategy could help treat cancer that has spread from breast to brain

Researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have successfully combined cellular therapy and gene therapy in a mouse-model system to develop a viable treatment strategy for breast cancer that has spread to the brain. The approach shows significant promise in reducing metastatic brain tumor size, providing new hope for pati...

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalClinical Cancer Research·DateAug 5, 2013

Digest this: Cure for cancer may live in our intestines

Researchers discovered a biological mechanism that preserves intestinal tracts in mice treated with lethal doses of chemotherapy, increasing survival rates by up to 75%. The findings could revolutionize cancer therapy by allowing humans to tolerate stronger doses of chemotherapy and radiation, potentially curing later-stage metastasize...

SourceUniversity of Michigan·JournalNature·DateJul 31, 2013

Gateway for metastases

Researchers from Max Planck Institute discovered the P2Y2 receptor molecule on blood platelet walls enables tumor cells to enter organs via blood vessel openings. Blocking this key molecule may lead to new therapeutic approaches for malignant tumors.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalCancer Cell·DateJul 3, 2013

How the body aids and abets the spread of cancer

A new study by RI-MUHC researchers identifies a previously unknown mode of cancer progression, where infection-fighting white blood cells activate cancer cells and facilitate their spread to secondary tumours. Medications already used for other non-cancer diseases may prevent this mechanism of cancer spread or metastasis.

SourceMcGill University Health Centre·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateJul 1, 2013

JCI early table of contents for May 24, 2013

Researchers have discovered that targeting regulatory T cells can help eliminate cancer cells, while a new fluorescence labeling method enables the visualization of microRNAs in tissue sections. Additionally, studies suggest that malnourishment exacerbates Giardia infection in mice, leading to severe gastrointestinal problems and growt...

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateMay 24, 2013

Stanford researchers develop new technique to track cell interactions in living bodies

Researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine developed a new technique to visualize cell interactions in living mice, pinpointing metastatic cancer cells' locations after breaking off from initial tumor sites. The method uses light-emitting proteins and has potential applications in studying various cell interactions.

SourceStanford Medicine·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMay 6, 2013

Discovery helps show how breast cancer spreads

Researchers have discovered that breast cancer patients with dense breasts are more likely to develop aggressive tumors. A protein called DDR2 plays a key role in this process, facilitating the spread of cancer cells by activating a multistep pathway.

SourceWashU Medicine·JournalNature Cell Biology·DateMay 5, 2013

When a KISS (1) goes bad

High levels of kisspeptins in aggressive breast cancers increase tumor grade and metastatic potential, according to Western University research. The study suggests that estrogen receptor status may play a role in kisspeptin's unusual behavior, making it a potential diagnostic biomarker for more aggressive breast cancer.

SourceUniversity of Western Ontario·JournalEndocrinology·DateApr 16, 2013

Adding cetuximab to chemotherapy enables select patients with advanced colorectal cancer and liver metastasis to undergo surgery, extending survival by several months

A Phase III clinical trial found that adding cetuximab to chemotherapy enables previously inoperable patients to undergo surgery, tripling the rates of successful surgery for liver metastasis. The combination also extends median overall survival by 10 months compared to chemotherapy alone.

SourceAmerican Society of Clinical Oncology·JournalJournal of Clinical Oncology·DateApr 8, 2013

Detecting circulating tumor cells

Researchers have developed a multi-stage, multi-orifice flow fractionation system to detect and separate circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from blood with high efficiency, improving separation efficiency to 98.9%. The device, called MS-MOFF, employs hydrodynamic sorting and can collect viable CTCs after sorting.

SourceAmerican Institute of Physics·JournalBiomicrofluidics·DateMar 23, 2013