Barb73

http://www.columbiaspectator.com/node/30620 ARTICLE: . . . . . . . . . Columbia Prof. Discovers New Cancer Treatment Brent Stockwell, a Columbia biology and chemistry professor, has identified a potentially revolutionary new method to selectively kill cancer cells in humans. Stockwell, working with Columbia postdoctoral researcher Wan Seok Yang, discovered two new molecules called RSL3 and RSL5 that could be used to kill cancerous tumor cells while avoiding the harmful side effects of most existing cancer treatments. The results of Stockwell’s research were published last month in the journal Chemistry & Biology. “This is potentially very exciting,” Stockwell said. “It’s a whole new way of discovering cancer drugs and is a much more general method to target tumor cells. In ten to fifteen years, maybe this will be the standard way for treating cancer.” Most cancer drugs do not specifically target tumor cells and instead attack any rapidly proliferating cells. This can lead to a variety of side effects, including nausea, hair loss, and bone marrow repression. The discovery was a welcome development for Stockwell, who has worked on cancer-related research for several years. “The problem is, it’s a great idea, but most cancer-causing genes can’t be targeted by small molecules,” Stockwell said. In his research, he aimed to find new molecular approaches that could avoid the unwanted complications of cancer treatment. This new approach proved to be “synthetic lethality,” which targets cancers that have specific genes called oncogenes. Stockwell looked at products of these oncogenes that could be inhibited by smaller molecules, and after screening 75,000 chemicals, he found that RSL3 and RSL5 are involved with a mutated form of the compound Ras, which is present in one third of cancers. The two compounds lead to iron accumulation and in so doing, selectively kill the targeted cancerous cells through “oxidative cell death.” “Cancer is a group of around 200 diseases, so if it [the new findings] impacts one third of them, we would be very happy with that,” Stockwell said. “The procedure could be particularly responsive in pancreatic and lung cancer and sarcomas.” Stockwell also said the treatment could potentially be 100 percent effective when attacking an actual tumor. Researchers found that level of success in laboratory cultures, but it is uncertain whether the same would be true in an actual organism. Despite the promising developments, there is still much research to be done on the topic. “Now we need to try to understand this cell death—what triggers it and is it relevant in vivo? And how can we develop this pharmaceutically and therapeutically?” Stockwell said. How quickly the benefits of Stockwell’s research can be translated into direct patient treatment is also up in the air. “Three years is the fastest you can imagine treatment if everything went spectacularly well,” Stockwell said. “It could take five to six years.” . . . . . . . . . (ColumbiaSpectator.com, By Sandeep Soman, April 22, 2008) Disclaimer: The information contained in these articles may or may not be in agreement with my own opinions. They are not posted as medical advice of any kind.

http://patient.cancerconsultants.com/Ca ... gery,early ARTICLE: . . . . . . . . . Surgery for the treatment of lung cancer in patients 80 years and older is a safe and effective treatment approach for those who are eligible. These results were recently presented at the American Association for Cancer Research 2008 Annual Meeting. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the world. Non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for approximately 75% of all cases of lung cancer in the United States. “Non–small cell” refers to the type of cell within the lung where the cancer originated. If detected and treated early, NSCLC has a high cure rate. Specifically, surgical removal of the cancer provides the best cure rates. Not all patients, however, are eligible for surgery, either due to the anatomical location of the cancer or the patient’s ability to tolerate the surgery and recovery. Many patients diagnosed with NSCLC are elderly. Unfortunately, many of these individuals have other existing medical conditions (co-morbidities) or are considered frail and unable to tolerate aggressive therapies. Therefore, elderly patients with NSCLC are often treated with less aggressive forms of therapy that ultimately yield lower rates of survival. Researchers from the Hoag Cancer Center in California recently conducted a study to evaluate the outcomes associated with surgery for NSCLC among elderly patients. This study included data from 1,293 patients from the medical center’s database who were diagnosed with NSCLC between 2000 and 2006. Of these patients, 17.2% were at last 80 years of age. Of these, 38.5% underwent surgery for their cancer. Survival at five years was 62% for patients older than 80 years of age; 53% for those aged 70 to 79 years; 63% for those aged 50 to 69 years; and 79% among those younger than 50 years of age. Among the oldest patients, none died from lung cancer. The researchers concluded that the elderly patients with NSCLC can do well with surgery for their cancer and add that “surgery should not be precluded solely based on the patient’s age.” Patients with NSCLC may wish to speak with their physician regarding their individual risks and benefits of treatment with surgery. . . . . . . . . . (CancerConsultants.com, Oncology Resource Center, April 21, 2008) Disclaimer: The information contained in these articles may or may not be in agreement with my own opinions. They are not posted as medical advice of any kind.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7360127.stm Comment: This is not a drug used for lung cancer, according to the information in this article. However, it is important to know what research findings are with regard to therapies. ARTICLE: . . . . . . . . . Brain damage link to cancer drug A drug widely used to treat cancer may cause brain damage, with the effects lasting for years after the end of treatment, research suggests. The drug, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), is used, alongside others, to treat cancers of the breast, ovaries, colon, stomach, pancreas and bladder. Tests on mice showed it destroys vital cells in the brain that help to keep nerves functioning properly. The University of Rochester study features in the Journal of Biology. It must be remembered that this drug can offer significant benefits for people who need it which far outweigh the changes which some patients report Martin Ledwick Cancer Research UK The researchers say their findings could explain some of the neurological side effects associated with chemotherapy - a phenomenon often known as "chemo brain". These include memory loss, poor concentration, and in more extreme cases, seizures, impaired vision and even dementia. Until recently they were often dismissed as the by-products of fatigue, depression and anxiety related both to the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. But many patients show symptoms: a previous study by the Rochester team found more than 80% of breast cancer patients reported some form of mental impairment after chemotherapy. Protective sheath The latest study found 5-FU attacks oligodendrocyte cells in the brain and the precursor stem cells from which they originate. These cells play a crucial role in the central nervous system, producing myelin, the protective sheath that keeps nerve fibres in working order. If myelin is not constantly renewed, communication between nerve cells is damaged. The researchers showed that oligodendrocytes virtually disappeared from the brains of mice six months after the animals were treated with 5-FU. Lead researcher Dr Mark Noble said: "It is clear that, in some patients, chemotherapy appears to trigger a degenerative condition in the central nervous system. "Because these treatments will clearly remain the standard of care for many years to come, it is critical that we understand their precise impact on the central nervous system, and then use this knowledge as the basis for discovering means of preventing such side effects." The latest study builds on previous work by the Rochester team, which found that three widely used chemotherapy drugs were more toxic to healthy brains than the cancers they were supposed to treat. Martin Ledwick, of the charity Cancer Research UK, stressed the study had been carried out on animals, and that more work would be needed before any firm conclusions could be drawn on the effect on cancer patients. He added: "It must be remembered that this drug (5-fluorouracil) can offer significant benefits for people who need it which far outweigh the changes which some patients report." . . . . . . . . . (BBC News, Health, April 22, 2008) Disclaimer: The information contained in these articles may or may not be in agreement with my own opinions. They are not posted as medical advice of any kind.

http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs ... 043/NEWS01 By Margot Sanger-Katz Monitor staff . . . . . . . . . April 20, 2008 Cancer prevention advocates are fighting to preserve funding for a state cancer prevention program that was trimmed this year as part of the governor's broad budget cuts. The plan, which would have invested $2 million in programs in tobacco cessation, cancer screening and statistical studies of cancer patterns in New Hampshire, was cut to $250,000. Advocates are concerned that $4 million in funding slated for next year may suffer a similar fate. The American Cancer Society has teamed up with several smaller cancer advocacy groups in the area to run ads asking Gov. John Lynch to preserve the funding. "This is no time to retreat in the fight against cancer," the ad says. "Please don't cut the New Hampshire Cancer Plan." The cancer plan was developed by a group of doctors, advocates and legislators who analyzed cancer statistics in New Hampshire and identified promising areas for cancer prevention. The effort was a response to a nationwide request from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Over two years, the group looked at New Hampshire's cancer trends and researched strategies that had been proven to drive down cancer risk and deaths. Last year, the group went to the Legislature with a proposal for programs and a budget for executing them. The measure passed both chambers and was signed by Lynch, a Democrat. The new program was passed with for $2 million this year and $4 million the next year. The governor has made $50 million in cuts across the state budget after determining that state revenue would not meet his original budget projections. The announced cuts affect state programs in the 2008 fiscal year. Estimates suggest that the budget shortfall for the next fiscal year may be more significant, and cancer advocates are concerned that the governor will again seek to cut their program to make ends meet. "It was a little disheartening to see that what can be given can be taken away really suddenly," said Peter Davies, a spokesman for the cancer society. Colin Manning, Lynch's spokesman, said the governor supports the cancer plan but faced tough choices in seeking to balance the books, and worked closely with the Department of Health and Human Services to identify programs to cut. "It's a good plan, a good program. It was new money included in the budget," Manning said. "And unfortunately, we're faced with this economic downturn that's impacting revenues in New Hampshire." Manning would not say when Lynch will propose budget cuts for fiscal year 2009, which begins July 1. The largest allocation of funds was earmarked for tobacco prevention and cessation programs, after the cancer plan's crafters determined that lung cancer, the state's largest cancer killer, could be prevented by such programs. The plan also will establish a free colorectal cancer screening program for residents with little or no health insurance coverage. Uninsured residents would be able to seek colonoscopies under the program. According to Dr. Lynn Butterly, a gastroenterologist and the chairwoman of the group that developed the plan, colonoscopies have great promise to reduce cancer deaths. The procedure has been shown to detect cancers in their early stages and to remove pre-cancerous growths before they become dangerous. The group's studies showed that uninsured residents were less likely to get the test and more likely to develop colorectal cancers. "With colon cancer, we try to prevent you from ever getting cancer at all," said Butterly, who directs colorectal cancer screening at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. The plan also included funding to expand a similar screening program for breast and cervical cancers in uninsured women. Peter Ames, the state cancer society's director of government relations, said that cancer advocates were surprised and disheartened by the cuts, given Lynch's previous support for the program. Though he said that he understood that economic times are difficult, he said he hopes the cancer plan will be spared from 2009 cuts. "New Hampshire is going to have to deal with cancer a lot longer than it's going to have to deal with a short-term budget shortfall," Davies said. "This was really a long-term investment in the state." . . . . . . . . . (Concord Monitor, By Margot Sangor-Katz, Monitor Staff, April 29, 2008) Disclaimer: The information contained in these articles may or may not be in agreement with my own opinions. They are not posted as medical advice of any kind.

Dear Gail, May the good news continue. The problem having been found and successfully treated is definitely a blessing. Also, the tumor shrinkage is very encouraging. May Hank begin feeling much better very soon. Sending my very best to both of you, Barbara

CONGRATULATIONS, Bucky. Wishing you continued success. This is is truly awesome news. Excelsior! Barbara

Dear Carol, I am late, but here is a great big shout out for a giant WHAHOOOOOO. You are NED once again. I really love news like this. This is food for the soul. Love, Barbara

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/103870.php ARTICLE: . . . . . . . . . Celgene International Sarl (NASDAQ: CELG) announced that amrubicin hydrochloride has been designated as an orphan medicinal product by the European Commission (EC) for the treatment of small cell lung cancer following the favorable opinion of the European Medicines Agency's (EMEA) Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products (COMP). Criteria for designation of orphan medicinal product require that the product be intended for the treatment of life-threatening or serious conditions that are rare and affect not more than 5 in 10,000 persons in the EU. In the European Union, small cell lung cancer affects more than 57,000 people and approximately 34,000 new cases of the disease will be diagnosed this year. Orphan medicinal product designation is granted by the EC to provide special incentives for sponsors planning to test a product for use in a rare disease or condition. These incentives include eligibility for protocol assistance and possible exemptions or reductions of certain regulatory fees during development or at the time of application for marketing approval. Orphan designation will provide amrubicin with 10 years of marketing exclusivity following marketing approval for the treatment of small cell lung cancer. "The decision by the European Commission to designate amrubicin hydrochloride an orphan medicinal product continues our efforts to deliver innovative therapies worldwide to patients in areas of great unmet medical need such as solid tumor cancers," said Graham Burton M.D., SVP, Global Regulatory Affairs and Pharmacovigilance for Celgene Corporation. In March 2008, the Company also announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted orphan drug designation for amrubicin in the treatment of small cell lung cancer. About Amrubicin Amrubicin is a third-generation, synthetic anthracycline analogue with potent anti-tumor activity against various human tumor xenografts and is a strong topoisomerase II inhibitor. Amrubicin is being studied as a single agent and in combination with anti-cancer therapies for small cell lung cancer. Amrubicin is currently approved and marketed in Japan for the treatment of both small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer by Nippon Kayaku, a Japanese pharmaceutical firm focused on oncology, which licensed Japanese marketing rights from Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma, the original developer of the therapy. Dainippon Sumitomo also licensed the North American and European marketing rights for amrubicin to Pharmion Corporation, which was acquired by Celgene Corporation in March 2008. About Small Cell Lung Cancer Small cell lung cancer is a disease in which malignant cells form in the tissues of the lung, and nearly all cases are attributable to cigarette smoking, with the remaining cases thought to be caused by environmental or genetic factors. While small cell lung cancer constitutes approximately 15 percent of all lung cancers, SCLC tends to be more aggressive and fast growing than the more common non-small cell lung cancer. An estimated 66,000 patients are diagnosed with SCLC each year in the US and EU (approximately 32,000 in the US and 34,000 in the EU). Approximately 60 percent of patients have extensive disease at diagnosis, and the remaining 40 percent present with localized, or limited stage, disease. About Celgene International Sárl Celgene International Sárl, located in Boudry, Switzerland, is a wholly owned subsidiary and the international headquarters of Celgene Corporation. Celgene Corporation, headquartered in Summit, New Jersey, is an integrated global pharmaceutical company engaged primarily in the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative therapies for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases through gene and protein regulation. For more information, please visit the Company's website at http://www.celgene.com. . . . . . . . . . (Medical News Today, April 14, 2008, [Contains Forward-looking Statements}) Disclaimer: The information contained in these articles may or may not be in agreement with my own opinions. They are not posted as medical advice of any kind.

Hello Mary, Just a very short note to say that I am fairly "new" to this venue, but that I will make sure you and your husband are in my prayers for success. Blessings sent and every good thought, Barbara

Ernie, Yes. That is exactly it. The only thing that is sure to change with negativity is that the immune system will respond - negatively. That is enough for me to try to turn things around as quickly as possible. Just got over "flu-like symptoms" from IMO, my very own brand of getting far too deeply involved in Bill's recent MRI (prior to results). Have now put a check on self - lesson learned. I threw away a few days that could have been a lot nicer with my having a better attitude. Now, back to seeding the brain with positivity. In short, I agree with your inspiring, and valuable philosophy. It is on the mark. Holding onto staying positive, Barbara

http://fdanews.com/newsletter/article?i ... eId=106015 Daily Bulletin News: . . . . . . . . . Novartis Starts Trial for ASA404 in Lung Cancer Novartis’ nonsmall cell lung cancer drug ASA404 has entered a Phase III trial. The multinational, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study will evaluate ASA404 in combination with paclitaxel and carboplatin as a first-line treatment for locally advanced or metastatic nonsmall cell lung cancer. ASA404 is one of six oncology compounds the company is developing. The other therapies include RAD001 (renal cell carcinoma and other cancers), SOM230 (Cushing’s disease/refractory carcinoid tumors, acromegaly), LBH589 (cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and other cancers), EPO906 (ovarian cancer) and PKC412 (acute myelogenous leukemia and aggressive systemic mastocytosis), according to the company. . . . . . . . . . (FDA News, Daily Bulletin, April 21, 2008) Disclaimer: The information contained in these articles may or may not be in agreement with my own opinions. They are not posted as medical advice of any kind.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 102522.htm ARTICLE: . . . . . . . . . Anti-cancer Medicines Obtained From The Elecampe, A Wild Plant Growing In The Mediterranean, Researchers Say ScienceDaily (Apr. 19, 2008) — A group of scientists from the Department of Organic Chemistry and the Biotechnology Institute of the University of Granada have found out that the plant “Dittirichia viscose”, known as elecampe, can be used to obtain inhibitors of neurogenic vasodilatation, a significant progress in migraine and cancer treatments. The study, supervised by professors María del Mar Herrador and Alejandro Fernández Barrero, has been carried out by Julieta Verónica Catalán, assistant professor of the National University of Tucuman (Argentina) and researcher of the Universidad de Granada, and it has been financed by the Unión Europea through the Programa Alban and the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología. Julieta Verónica used the elecampe plant, abundant in the Mediterranean area, to obtain a method for taking out and purifying a natural product known as ilicic acid. Promising angiogenesis inhibitor This acid has been used to develop an effective method of chemical synthesis and of industrial interest towards the pharmacologically active alpha-eudesmol (against migraine) and ß-eudesmol which inhibits “in vivo” selectively, the proliferation of endothelial cells, being a promising antiangiogenic. Likewise, these researchers have made another important discovery: they have used the germacrona compound, obtained from the ‘Baccharis latifolia’, a plant growing in the Bolivian Andes, in a new chemical synthesis of the antitumoral ß-element. This natural product serves to inhibit selectively the vascular endothelial brain cells and it has been used as an agent to prevent cancer in brain tumours and metastases from brain and lung cancer, preventing its growth. Besides, it has been found that it leads to apoptosis and stops the cellular differentiation process and inhibits neoplasm metastases, so it can be used in lung neoplasm chemotherapy as well as in colon, stomach or brain chemotherapy, etc. There are several patented formulas for its use alone or combined with other agents such as taxol, 5- Fu or stemmed from cisplatin. . . . . . . . . . (Science Daily, Adapted from Materials: University of Granada, Spain, April 19, 2008) Disclaimer: The information contained in these articles may or may not be in agreement with my own opinions. They are not posted as medical advice of any kind.

http://www.cancerpage.com/news/article.asp?id=12134 ARTICLE: . . . . . . . . . NEW YORK APR 17, 2008 (Reuters Health) - Radon levels typically found in homes in the United States do not raise the risk of lung cancer, according to findings of a decade-long study. In fact, at low levels, radon may actually reduce the risk. These results represent a substantial departure from the risk model upon which regulatory policy for low-dose radon exposure is based, Dr. Richard E. Thompson, from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, and colleagues report in the journal Health Physics. Their study included 200 patients with lung cancer and 397 similar subjects without cancer. All participants belonged to the same health care maintenance organization in Worcester, Massachusetts and had lived in a radon-testable residence for at least 10 years. Radon levels were determined on the basis of year-long measurements with detectors that were placed in multiple locations according to time spent in various parts of the house. Subjects were categorized into one of nine smoking categories based on how long and how much they smoked. The findings indicated a "hormetic" effect, a term used to describe a generally beneficial effect seen with exposure to a toxin at low doses. In other words, low levels of radon exposure were associated with a reduced risk of lung cancer. The authors suggest that at low doses, radiation may help repair damaged DNA, a key factor that promotes cancer. For levels of radon exceeding 4 pico Curies per liter (pCi/L), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends measures should be taken to reduce exposure, such as installing a radon venting system and sealing cracks in the house foundation. "Nothing in our study contradicts the 4 pCi/L standard, but of the participants in the Worcester study, 93 percent had an estimated exposure below 4 pCi/L," Thompson said. "Any potential decreased risk of lung cancer as compared to zero exposure that showed any trends toward statistical significance occurred below about 3.4 pCi/L." "We have been asked to contribute our data to the world-wide 'pooling' study that is in the initial stages of development," he added. "I think that the invitation to participate in this international study is an indication that the data are being taken seriously by other scientists, and have met the stringent requirements necessary to be included in this type of...analysis." . . . . . . . . . (CancerPage, Reuters Health, By Karla Gale Source: Health Physics 2008, April 17, 2008) Disclaimer: The information contained in these articles may or may not be in agreement with my own opinions. They are not posted as medical advice of any kind.

http://www.cancerpage.com/news/article.asp?id=12115 ARTICLE: . . . . . . . . . High Telomerase Activity in Lung Infiltrates Indicates Malignancy Risk NEW YORK APR 14, 2008 (Reuters Health) - The detection of telomerase activity in aspirates obtained by transthoracic fine-needle biopsy (TFNB) of peripheral lung infiltrates is an indication of a high risk of malignancy in cases with false-negative cytological results, investigators report in the April issue of Thorax. Dr. Tomasz Targowski of the Military Institute of Health Service in Warsaw, Poland, and colleagues performed TFNB of the focal lesion in 100 patients with a peripheral infiltrate of the lung. Lung cancer was newly diagnosed in 84 patients while 16 lesions were benign. Lung cancer was identified in 56 cases, or in 66.7%, during the first TFNB. Increased telomerase activity was identified in 61 aspirates, or 72.6%. There were no false positive results on cytological exam but telomerase activity was increased in one benign case. The diagnostic sensitivity of the combination of cytological examination and telomerase activity assay was 89.3% compared with 66.7% for cytology alone. However, the combination had a lower specificity at 96.9% compared with 100% for cytology alone, Dr. Targowski and colleagues report. The diagnostic accuracy was 90.0% with the combination and 72.0% with cytology alone. The negative predictive value was 65.2% with the combination but only 36.4% with cytological examination alone. "Improvement in the negative predictive value from 36.4% to 62.5% means that the absence of cancer cells and lack of telomerase activity in the aspirate from a peripheral infiltration of the lung increases the probability that the pulmonary lesion is benign by almost two-fold," the investigators point out. "In summary," they conclude, "detection of telomerase activity in oligo-cell aspirates from peripheral tumours of the lung could be a helpful warning of a malignant origin of the lung infiltration when no cancer cells are found in the aspirates." . . . . . . . . . (CancerPage, Reuters Health, Source: Thorax, April 14, 2008) Disclaimer: The information contained in these articles may or may not be in agreement with my own opinions. They are not posted as medical advice of any kind.

Hello Robyn, I am glad to meet you. Should you go to Florida? As others have advised, unless something happens to stop you, leaving is a good thing. Caregivers can become hostage to their own sense of "always being there." (This is only natural.) Your sister and her busband have promised to take good care of Mom. Go, enjoy, and get some new input. Hope always, Barbara

Dear Gail, Just wanted you to know that you and Hank are in my prayers. Barbara

Dear Dana, Bill and I pray that God will be with us. Hold us, and keep us in His Hands. Am I less scared? No. The truth of that rears its ugly head especially whenever Bill needs a scan, have an interpretation of one, or I think to deeply on cancer on any given day. This disease can be a roller-coaster of emotions because of it is the thief of normalcy. Life will never be the same. We know that we have a "new normal" life - living with new parameters - new goals and we now take it on a day-to-day basis. We hang onto the good things that occur with all of our might. We have been doing this for as long as Bill and I were told about the cancer. Are we less hopeful? No. The one thing we hang onto is hope. There is the hope that a current regimen works, a new drug may come onto the scene, our strength holds firm, and many more hopes. It is well worth keeping hope alive - whatever that means to each of us. The one thing that has been a gift is that we appreciate a lot more than we have ever in our lives. Taking things for granted disappeared the day of Bill's diagnosis. Hope always, Barbara

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/104386.php EXCERPT FROM ARTICLE: . . . . . . . . . As our population ages and senior citizens become a larger demographic, cancer researchers are focusing on the links between aging and cancer. Studies presented at the 2008 Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, April 12 - 16, highlight the biological aspects of aging that are key to greater risk and poorer prognosis, and surgical outcomes. Surgical resection and survival in octogenarians and younger age cohorts of patients diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer: Abstract 5537 Although fewer of them undergo surgery, lung cancer patients in their 80s fare equally well following surgery as their younger counterparts, researchers report. The findings offer doctors potentially valuable guidance in treatment options for elderly patients, according to researchers. A research team from the Hoag Cancer Center in Newport Beach, California, observed 1,293 patients with lung cancer, 482 of whom underwent surgical treatment. The oldest patients were more likely to be male. Older patients were also more likely to have localized disease. Overall, the rate of surgery did not differ by age group. However, when primary lung cancer was considered separately, only 31.7 percent of patients older than 80 underwent surgery for their primary lung cancer compared with 38.5 percent of patients younger than 80. For patients with non-small cell lung cancer, the rate of surgery was 64 percent for those older than 80 and 83 percent for those younger than 80. For patients with regionally advanced disease, the rate of surgery for patients age 80 or older was 35 percent compared with 49 percent for those younger than 80 years old. The five-year survival rate following surgery was 62 percent for those patients older than 80 compared with 53 percent for those aged 70 to 79 years. Among patients age 60 to 69 years and 50 to 59 years, the survival rate was 63 percent. For the youngest patients, those younger than 50, the survival rate was 79 percent. "Although a smaller proportion of patients over the age of 80 underwent this type of surgery, their survival rate was comparable to the younger age groups," said lead author Robert O. Dillman, M.D., medical director of the Hoag Cancer Center in Newport Beach, California. Elevated interleukin-12 is a plasma marker of poor prognosis in stage III melanoma patients: Abstract 5568 New research has established that elevated blood levels of interleukin-12, which rise as we age, independently predicts poor prognosis in patients with melanoma. Interleukin-12 is a biological therapeutic agent that has been shown to act on the immune system and increase the body's ability to fight disease. It has also previously been shown to interfere with blood flow to the tumors However, the current study suggests that elevated interleukin-12 may play a role in poor prognosis for melanoma. "This marker tends to increase with age, which could explain the link between age and poorer prognosis of this type of skin cancer," said lead author Yun S. Chun, M.D., a surgical oncology fellow at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. Researchers measured blood levels of interleukin-12 in 658 patients. Of these patients, 445 had early stage disease, 150 had mid-stage disease and 63 had late stage disease. As they predicted, Chun and colleagues found that blood levels of interleukin-12 rose with age. Among patients younger than 40, the average level of interleukin-12 was 75 pg/ml, those aged 40 to 59 had a average level of 84 pg/ml, those from 60 to 79 years had a level of 96 pg/ml and patients older than 80 had an average level of 112 pg/ml. When researchers estimated risk factors for mortality among patients with melanoma, older age by itself did not predict risk. However, late stage disease and an elevated level of interleukin-12 did predict mortality. Specifically, for patients with late stage disease and an interleukin-12 level above 150 pg/ml, the risk of mortality was four times higher than that for patients with levels of interleukin-12 that were below 150 pg/ml. "Among patients with melanoma, it is possible that elevated interleukin-12 may be a marker of a tumor promoting, rather than a tumor inhibiting, response," Chun said. Aging and DNA methylation in Alu and LINE-1 repeated elements: Abstract 557 An age-related decrease in DNA methylation, the process whereby genes are shut off and chromosomes packed up in complex strictures, could potentially lead to cancer development, according to researchers. When a person does not have a proper rate of DNA methylation, chromosomes and DNA sequences become unstable, and therefore are more likely to contribute to cancer. Approximately 55 percent of the human genome consists of repetitive elements, including approximately 500,000 long interspersed nucleotide elements (LINE) and 1.5 million repetitive elements of the Alu DNA sequences. Typically, these sequences undergo heavy methylation. Previous human studies have linked a lack of methylation among LINE and Alu repetitive elements with disease. However, whether the unsteadiness of these elements is unrestrained with age had not yet been established. For the current study, researchers from the Center of Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology at the University of Milan in Italy, in collaboration with investigators at the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MAmeasured DNA levels in 693 patients. Patients gave up to three blood samples, taken approximately three years apart from each other. Overall, the older a patient grew, the less likely these elements were to methylate. Specifically, researchers found a 0.016 percent decrease for LINE-1 elements and a 0.015 percent decrease for Alu repetitive elements for each year of increased age. "Such age-related decrease in methylation may increase the risk of mutational events potentially leading to cancer," said lead author Laura Cantone, a researcher at the University of Milan. . . . . . . . . . (Medical News Today, Source: Staci Vernick Goldberg, American Association for Cancer Research, April 17, 2008) Disclaimer: The information contained in these articles may or may not be in agreement with my own opinions. They are not posted as medical advice of any kind.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24185454/ ARTICLE: . . . . . . . . . 'Chemofog' effects on brain may be a myth Two studies showed no memory impairments as a result of chemotherapy Reuters updated 2:32 p.m. ET, Thurs., April. 17, 2008 NEW YORK - "Chemofog" — impairments in memory and in thinking, or "cognition," that have been attributed to chemotherapy — was not seen in two studies of women being treated for breast cancer, according to a presentation at the 60th annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in Chicago. Dr. David G. Darby of CogState Ltd., where a cognitive assessment test bearing its name was developed, and colleagues in Melbourne, Australia, used the test to evaluate the changes in cognitive function in breast cancer patients. CogState Ltd. is an international, publicly held company that sells diagnostic tools. The researchers tested 30 women with breast cancer and 30 "control" subjects matched by age before each cycle of chemotherapy and 28 days after the last cycle. Both groups of women also provided a subjective assessment of their cognitive function and feelings of depression and anxiety at each evaluation. Before chemotherapy was even initiated, cognitive performance and learning ability on the CogState assessment were significantly impaired among patients compared with controls, Darby reported. After the final cycle of chemotherapy, patient performance using the CogState assessment had declined only on speed of identification of objects. Three women developed cognitive impairment over the course of chemotherapy. However, the results of the objective assessment did not match the women's subjective reports of depression, anxiety or cognitive performance. "Prior to chemotherapy, women with breast cancer show subtle but reliable impairment in attention and learning," Darby's team concluded. "Chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment was infrequent and did not correlate with subjective cognitive impairment." Meanwhile, Dr. Michael J. Boivin of Michigan State University in East Lansing and colleagues presented similar findings for 17 women newly diagnosed with breast cancer prior to chemotherapy or radiation, 21 women with recent benign diagnoses and 20 women who had completed chemotherapy for breast cancer at least one year previously. These women also completed the CogState battery as well as a quality-of-life questionnaire. Newly diagnosed women with breast cancer were significantly less accurate on memory tests than the one-year survivors and performed "marginally" poorer than women who had received a benign diagnosis. "These results suggest that cognitive difficulties experienced by women with a new breast cancer diagnosis may be related to stress as a result of the diagnosis and other quality-of-life factors, and not simply due to the effects of chemotherapy or radiation," Boivin told meeting attendees. . . . . . . . . . (MSNBC, Reuters, April 17, 2008) Disclaimer: The information contained in these articles may or may not be in agreement with my own opinions. They are not posted as medical advice of any kind.

http://snurl.com/24uzx This may be helpful: Schedule: . . . . . . . . . When to Watch The Truth About Cancer [D] indicates digital channel WGBH/Channel 2 CHANNEL 2 The Truth About Cancer Sunday, April 20, 12:00am A man's battle with metastatic cancer is recalled. WGBX CHANNEL 44 The Truth About Cancer Friday, April 18, 3:00am A man's battle with metastatic cancer is recalled. The Truth About Cancer Monday, April 21, 3:00am A man's battle with metastatic cancer is recalled. WGBH-DT [D] The Truth About Cancer Sunday, April 20, 12:00am A man's battle with metastatic cancer is recalled. WGBH-HD [D] The Truth About Cancer Sunday, April 20, 12:00am A man's battle with metastatic cancer is recalled. WGBX-DT [D] The Truth About Cancer Friday, April 18, 3:00am A man's battle with metastatic cancer is recalled. The Truth About Cancer Monday, April 21, 3:00am A man's battle with metastatic cancer is recalled. WGBX World [D] The Truth About Cancer Friday, April 18, 7:00pm A man's battle with metastatic cancer is recalled. The Truth About Cancer Saturday, April 19, 12:00am A man's battle with metastatic cancer is recalled. The Truth About Cancer Saturday, April 19, 8:00am A man's battle with metastatic cancer is recalled. The Truth About Cancer Saturday, April 19, 2:00pm A man's battle with metastatic cancer is recalled. . . . . . . . . .

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/ ... 040808.php Excerpt from Article: . . . . . . . . . SAN DIEGO – As promising cancer therapies and drugs emerge, researchers strive to find ways to deliver them to patients with minimal side effects. At the 2008 Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, April 12-16, researchers report that therapies delivered by “trojan horse” peptides and through the use of nanotechnology may enhance the effectiveness of cancer treatment. Kousparou C, et al. Antennapedia ‘trojan’ peptide delivers p21 protein resulting in tumor eradication: Abstract 4908 Researchers report that using the Antennapedia protein as a “trojan horse” to pierce the outer layer of a cancer cell and deliver p21, a known tumor suppressor protein, successfully reduces malignant tumors in mice. Christina Kousparou, Ph.D., head of research at Trojantec Ltd, said intravenous treatment with p21 by this method brought the cancer cell growth and death cycle to a halt and slowed tumor growth. Mice given this protein also lived longer than a control group of animals, she reports. Researchers had speculated that p21 would increase sensitivity to chemotherapy. The combination of p21 with chemotherapy resulted in total tumor eradication in 40 percent of animals and a reduction in tumor burden in 100 percent of animals, Kousparou reports. “The efficacy of our anti-tumor growth modality in combination with conventionally used medication suggests that it can be considered as a promising therapeutic drug for the management of a wide range of carcinomas,” said Kousparou. Siddiqui IA, et al. Nanochemoprevention: introducing a novel concept in cancer chemoprevention with a proof of principle for superior activity of green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin-3-gallate encapsulated in PLGA/PVA nanoparticles: Abstract 2102 Researchers may have found a way to effectively deliver green tea to a tumor, increasing its utility as a “chemopreventive” agent. Although green tea has been shown in preclinical studies to have significant cancer prevention potential, its therapeutic use has been limited by lack of a method for delivering effective doses to cancer cells. “Most biological processes, including those that are cancer-related, occur at the nanoscale, so we hypothesized that nanoparticle delivery of green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin-3 would be a possible method,” said Imtiaz A. Siddiqui, Ph.D., a research associate at the University of Wisconsin. Researchers encapsulated green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin-3-gallate in synthetic nanoparticles and evaluated the response in human prostate cancer cells. An initial treatment with the nanoparticles alone without green tea showed negligible response, Siddiqui said. Adding tiny amounts of green tea to the nanoparticles, however, produced a significant response that persisted for 48 to 72 hours. Further experiments showed that treatment with nanoparticle-delivered green tea increased the rate of cancer cell death and decreased the number of new cell colonies. “Validation of these cell culture data to animal model systems could pave the way for developing new avenues of cancer chemoprevention,” said Siddiqui. . . . . . . . . . (Eureka Alert, Press Release, American Association for Cancer Research, April 15, 2008) Disclaimer: The information contained in these articles may or may not be in agreement with my own opinions. They are not posted as medical advice of any kind.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/103951.php Excerpt major part of complete article: . . . . . . . . . Alfacell Corporation (Nasdaq: ACEL) announced that Dr. Intae Lee with the University of Pennsylvania has reported that Alfacell's ONCONASE (ranpirnase) could be a promising radiation sensitizer for lung cancer treatment. Dr. Lee presented the pre-clinical in vivo and in vitro data in a poster at the 2008 American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting being held April 12 - 16 in San Diego. In the poster titled "The inhibition of radiation repair by ranpirnase +/- I-buthionine sulfoximide on lung cancer," Dr. Lee provided pre-clinical evidence that ONCONASE +/- I-buthionine sulfoximide significantly increased the radiation-induced growth delay of lung tumors in vivo without increases in skin reaction, compared to radiation alone. Additionally, in vivo and in vitro data presented indicated that ONCONASE significantly increased apoptosis (programmed cell death) in several human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines (A549, NCI-H1975 and HOP-62). Dr. Lee and his team of researchers also showed that the radiation repair mechanisms known as sub-lethal damage repair (SLDR) and potentially lethal damage repair (PLDR), which lead to radiation resistance in tumors, were significantly inhibited by ONCONASE in vitro. "Our research suggests potential utility of ONCONASE as a radiotherapy enhancer for the treatment of NSCLC patients," said Dr. Lee. "It is important to overcome PLDR as it can ultimately lead to radiation resistance. One of our key findings is the inhibiting impact of ONCONASE on the PLDR mechanism, which is a pre-requisite to developing a radiotherapy enhancer." Kuslima Shogen, Alfacell's chief executive officer, added: "This work by Dr. Lee and his team provides further evidence of the potential for ONCONASE to mitigate the resistance that often develops in, and confounds the treatment of NSCLC." About ONCONASE® ONCONASE is a first-in-class product candidate based on Alfacell's proprietary ribonuclease (RNase) technology. A natural protein isolated from the leopard frog, ONCONASE has been shown in the laboratory and clinic to target cancer cells while sparing normal cells. ONCONASE triggers apoptosis, the natural death of cells, via multiple molecular mechanisms of action. About Alfacell Corporation Alfacell Corporation is the first company to advance a biopharmaceutical product candidate that works in a manner similar to RNA interference (RNAi) through late-stage clinical trials. The product candidate, ONCONASE, is an RNase that overcomes the challenges of targeting RNA for therapeutic purposes while enabling the development of a new class of targeted therapies for cancer and other life-threatening diseases. In addition to an ongoing Phase IIIb study in malignant mesothelioma, Alfacell is conducting a Phase I/II trial of ONCONASE in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and other solid tumors. For more information, visit http://www.alfacell.com. . . . . . . . . . (Medical News Today, Oncology/Lung Cancer, Nuclear/Radiation, April 15, 2008 [Contains Forward-looking Statements]) Disclaimer: The information contained in these articles may or may not be in agreement with my own opinions. They are not posted as medical advice of any kind.

Jenn, My husband has been on Avastin (the other name for bevacizumab) and he has had success so far. His tumors/nodules have been shrinking. (Yippeee) Now, as to brain mets, I know that the chemo does not cross the blood brain barrier, but there were, initially, doubts about using it with mets to the brain. However, I went to the site, OncTalk, and the information there from Dr. West, was very illuminating and useful. Everything changes so fast in this venue that it is always best to do the research and then, make the informed decision. Our oncologist OK'd Bill for the Avastin after his met to the brain was in the treated and shrinking down position. I wish you much in the way of success. I was very anxious when Bill went on this regimen, but am now comfortable with it. My overall assessment of Avastin is that we need to gather as much information as possible, and then, make an informed decision. Barbara

Katie, I've been sort of "ill" (nothing serious) today, but tried to read all the notifications of replies in my emails. Have to tell you that when I had read this part, as I was posting it, about inadvertently stepping outside - considering all that cancer entails - I had to laugh, so you are not alone.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 161100.htm ScienceDaily (Apr. 13, 2008) — Genetic variations ensure that no two people are exactly alike, nor are their cancers. Researchers now have the tools and the knowledge to predict how individuals will respond to cancer therapy, enabling more precise and effective treatment. Researchers have identified two potential biomarkers that could help doctors monitor the effectiveness of treatment with sunitinib or bevacizumab for kidney and non-small cell lung cancer. "Our work provides novel data on a potential biomarker for the monitoring of anti-angiogenic drug activity in cancer patients, as well as identifies a cell type that is a potential target for these agents," said Laura Vroling, M.Sc., a researcher in the Department of Medical Oncology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor targeted agents bevacizumab and sunitinib have proven effective against several cancers, such as non-small cell lung cancer, colorectal and kidney cancer, but it is unclear which subset of patients will benefit most from these agents, researchers say. "Therefore, it is of great importance to identify and validate biomarkers for early response or duration of response," Vroling said. Vroling and colleagues studied therapy-induced changes in a novel, rare, circulating cell population. They measured these candidate circulating endothelial progenitor cells (ccEPCs) characterized by the markers CD45neg, CD34bright and CD133neg during sunitinib or bevacizumab treatment. They labeled them "candidate" cells because no data have proven definitively the phenotypic relationship between progenitor and blood-derived endothelial outgrowth cells, Vroling said. Their study included 23 patients with renal cell cancer and 19 patients with non-small cell lung cancer. The researchers also monitored plasma levels of VEGF. They assessed tumor response with computed tomography scans according to the RECIST criteria. "This is the first study to assess the kinetics of ccEPCs together with other circulating cells in the peripheral blood of patients with renal cell cancer during the first cycle of sunitinib treatment," Vroling said. During a four-week "on" period of treatment with sunitinib, the ccEPC increases paralleled the rise in plasma VEGF levels; they decreased during the two-week "off" period, Vroling reports. Monocytes and hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) demonstrated the opposite pattern, according to Vroling. "In a preliminary analysis, we found a significant difference in the change of ccEPC numbers and VEGF levels after two weeks of treatment between patients with clinical benefit and progressive disease," Vroling said. "We also noted that an increase of ccEPCs was indicative of a longer progression-free survival in this small group of patients." In the patients with non-small cell lung cancer treated with bevacizumab and erlotinib, ccEPC levels increased, while free plasma VEGF levels decreased. ccEPCs did not rise in a control group treated with erlotinib alone, Vroling said. "These data suggest that ccEPCs are increased in cancer patients in an anti-angiogenic, treatment-specific way," she said. Furthermore, this effect does not seem to be related to plasma VEGF levels. "In our study for the first time the behavior of two CD34bright cell populations, (CD45neg) candidate cEPCs and (CD45dim) HPCs were monitored and showed a different response of both cell populations during sunitinib or bevacizumab therapy. The role of ccEPCs in human tumor angiogenesis and their potential in prediction of treatment outcome of anti-VEGF therapy needs to be addressed in future, larger clinical cohorts," she said. . . . . . . . . . (Science Daily, AACR, April 13, 2008) Disclaimer: The information contained in these articles may or may not be in agreement with my own opinions. They are not posted as medical advice of any kind.