Coramsine tests continue
Article about Solbec Pharmaceuticals and their on-going work with coramsine, a substance derived from the plant Devil’s apple. Tests in mice are promising.
~ Archive for July, 2006 ~
Explaining angiogenesis
Over at the blog Respectful Insolance, the author Orac gives a primer on angiogensis
In short, angiogenesis is the growth of new blood vessels from
preexisting blood vessels. It is a normal physiological process that
occurs during wound healing, the changes in the lining of the uterous
during the menstrual cycle, embryonic and fetal development, and
inflammation. Tumors hijack this process in order to feed their need
for oxygen and nutrients. They have to; the diffusion of nutrients and
oxygen is limited to only around 1 mm in aqueous solution. Without
angiogenesis, tumors can only grow to a diameter of less than 2 mm.
preexisting blood vessels. It is a normal physiological process that
occurs during wound healing, the changes in the lining of the uterous
during the menstrual cycle, embryonic and fetal development, and
inflammation. Tumors hijack this process in order to feed their need
for oxygen and nutrients. They have to; the diffusion of nutrients and
oxygen is limited to only around 1 mm in aqueous solution. Without
angiogenesis, tumors can only grow to a diameter of less than 2 mm.
Tumors induce angiogenesis by a variety of strategies, but most
commonly they secrete large amounts of factors, usually small proteins,
that stimulate the endothelial cells (cells that line blood vessels) to
invade the basement membrane upon which they sit, migrate towards the
stimulus, form tubes, and finally form functional blood vessels. The
most common and studied of these factors belong to the vascular
endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family. Usually, tumor vessels tend to
be tortuous and “leaky,” and indeed the original name for VEGF was
vascular permeability factor, because of its ability to increase the
leakiness of blood vessels.
A good succinct explanation. He says he got interested in the field in the late 1990s when there was a lot of stuff in the popular press about inhibiting angiogensis as a means of controlling cancer. That hype faded when miracles did not transpire, but the basic idea is still intriguing, and cancer research continues.
Radioactive scorpion venom!
Such a provactive subject that I couldn’t resist mentioning it. Radioactive scorpion venom could work as a unusual new cancer therapy. For brain cancer.
OK, the venim isn’t radioactive when it is taken out of the scorpion. Lab techs add the radioactive part chemically. But the venom targets certain cells in the brain, and carries along the radiation with it. This results in very targeted radiation therapy for certain cells, in this case cancer cells. Phase II testing shows it is safe and at least somewhat effective.
Statins may increase effectiveness of chemotherapy drug in mesothelioma treatment
Italian researchers have found that the statin drugs, commonly used to reduce cholesterol, can be a useful adjunct to treatment of mesothelioma wih doxorubicin.
Doxorubicin is one of the workhorses of modern chemotherapy. It’s used in many types of cancer, including mesothelioma, but it’s of limited effectivness in mesothelioma, which is notoriously difficult to treat.
The researchers found that the mevastatin and simvastatin increased the accumulation of doxorubicin in the mesothelioma cells and increased the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin. This might help refine and improve treatment of mesothelioma in the future.
More on statins and cancer.
Statins may increase effectiveness of chemotherapy drug in mesothelioma treatment
Italian researchers have found that the statin drugs, commonly used to reduce cholesterol, can be a useful adjunct to treatment of mesothelioma wih doxorubicin.
Doxorubicin is one of the workhorses of modern chemotherapy. It’s used in many types of cancer, including mesothelioma, but it’s of limited effectivness in mesothelioma, which is notoriously difficult to treat.
The researchers found that the mevastatin and simvastatin increased the accumulation of doxorubicin in the mesothelioma cells and increased the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin. This might help refine and improve treatment of mesothelioma in the future.
Trust on the Web
Just an item on one of the Nature blogs about scholarly publishing on the web, which touches on all web publishing. How to readers know that what they are reading is credible? In academia for decades, papers have been published in journals and subjected to peer review. The web allows direct publication, but is there a way to establish the same level of credibility that scientists got with the old peer review journal system?
New Alfacell press release on Onconase
Alfacell’s new press release says there has been ”groundbreaking, independent new research findings” on mesothelioma. Specifically, the work is on how asbestos causes cancer. Alfacell can’t help sticking in their release how the research indicates that the mechanism of onconase may be a good way to treat mesothelioma. It’s a too early to say, in my opinion.
TomoTherapy - a form of radiation treatment
TomoTherapy is a new method of radiation treatment that has been getting some press. It’s basically targeted radiation for addressing tumors. The idea has been around a long time, and new technologies are making it easier. If you point the radiation at the tumor, but not at the healthy tissue, you decrease the negative side effects and maybe increase the efficacy of the treatment. Radiation has been a staple of mesothelioma treatment and treatment of other forms of cancer. Intensity Modulated Radition Therapy is often used on mesothelioma patients.
