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JCI online early table of contents: Dec. 19, 2011

A team of researchers found that raising levels of epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) in mice stimulated primary tumor growth and metastasis, suggesting potential risks for humans. EET antagonists may provide a new approach to preventing and treating cancer-related metastasis.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateDec 19, 2011

Moffitt Cancer Center researchers find potential target for treating metastatic cancer

Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center have identified a chemical disrupter of the Rb-Raf-1 interaction, which may be vulnerable to targeting to prevent cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth. The study found that this disruption can limit metastasis in test mice, suggesting a potential new approach for combating metastatic disease.

Drug may slow spread of deadly eye cancer

Researchers have discovered a drug that can alter the DNA of uveal melanoma cells, rendering them less aggressive. The treatment, known as histone deacetylase inhibitors, may slow or prevent tumor growth in patients with metastatic eye cancer.

SourceWashU Medicine·JournalClinical Cancer Research·DateNov 28, 2011

JCI online early table of contents: Oct. 10, 2011

Studies reveal the role of Sirt1 in improving insulin sensitivity through caloric restriction. Researchers also identify a potential treatment approach for KRAS mutant colorectal cancers by combining receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors with MEK inhibitors. Additionally, new insights into the cellular defects of Huntington disease are p...

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateOct 10, 2011

Incompatible assumptions common in biomedical research

Researchers found widespread disagreement among scientists studying cancer metastasis, with no two scenarios identical. The study suggests making assumptions explicit can improve biomedical modeling and create new opportunities for understanding alternative theories.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Computational Biology·DateOct 6, 2011

Modeling cancer using ecological principles

A new study uses the Tilman model of competition between invasive species to understand how prostate cells invade bone marrow and take over the microenvironment. The research reveals that cancer cells follow a similar path to ecological invasions, highlighting the potential for ecological modeling to understand metastasis.

SourceBMC (BioMed Central)·JournalTheoretical Biology and Medical Modelling·DateOct 2, 2011

UCLA researchers develop system that finds prostate cancer spread earlier than conventional imaging

Researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have developed a gene-based imaging system that can detect castration-resistant prostate cancer earlier than conventional methods. The system uses specific genes and reporter genes to accurately identify the spread of the disease, giving oncologists more time to treat it and pot...

Trastuzumab and chemotherapy improved survival in HER2-postive breast and brain cancer patients

A study published in Clinical Cancer Research found that trastuzumab, chemotherapy, and surgery significantly improved overall survival in HER2-positive breast and brain cancer patients. Treatment with these therapies led to improved survival rates of up to 20 months for those with central nervous system metastases.

SourceAmerican Association for Cancer Research·JournalClinical Cancer Research·DateJul 18, 2011

JCI online early table of contents: July 11, 2011

Researchers have identified a way to exploit brain's self-repair mechanism to protect nerve cells and enhance brain repair after stroke. Estradiol has been shown to protect male rats against beta-cell failure in rodent models of type 2 diabetes, suggesting estrogen receptors as a viable therapeutic target.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateJul 11, 2011

Van Andel Research Institute finding is potential predictor of deadly cancer common in Asia

Van Andel Research Institute scientists found a protein that predicts the spread of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, a deadly head and neck cancer common in southern China and Southeast Asia. Higher levels of serglycin correlate with poor prognosis and increased metastasis, suggesting it as a therapeutic target to stop disease progression.

SourceVan Andel Research Institute·JournalCancer Research·DateJun 14, 2011

JCI online early table of contents: April 11, 2011

Researchers have discovered a protein that improves vascular regeneration in mice with heart attacks, and found that manipulating this protein could be used to treat various vascular diseases. Additionally, studies on mouse models have revealed plasticity in the pathways that control insulin secretion, offering new insights into diabet...

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateApr 12, 2011

Tumors resistant to radiation therapy may be controlled by the MET oncogene

Researchers discovered that ionizing radiation drives overexpression and activity of MET through the ATM and NF-κB signaling pathways, making some tumor cells resistant to radiation. Inhibiting MET counteracted this increased invasiveness, promoting apoptosis in tumor cells and enhancing the effect of radiation.

SourceJournal of the National Cancer Institute·JournalJNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute·DateApr 4, 2011