john
-
Posts
1,513 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Downloads
Store
Profiles
Forums
Gallery
Blogs
Events
Posts posted by john
-
-
P53 mutations have known to be associated with poor prognosis. This team of researchers have actually modified genes to show they to create this condition.
Next hopefully, the mutated p53 gene can be corrected using gene therapy
Frontlines | RNA Interference Maintained in Stem Cells
Short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) offer a new way to silence genes, courtesy of RNA interference (RNAi). A study from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, home of the discovery of the RNAi enzyme dicer, indicates that these RNAs can be more than "off" switches. Different RNA hairpins corresponding to the same gene can squelch expression to different degrees, modulating a phenotype in a controlled way by tagging messenger RNAs for destruction.
Greg Hannon, Scott Lowe, and their collaborators used a well-studied gene in a well-studied organism--tumor suppressor p53 in mice (M. Hemann et al., "An epiallelic series of p53 hypomorphs created by stable RNAi produces distinct tumor phenotypes in vivo," Nature Genetics, published online Feb. 3, 2003, www.nature.com). In mice with B lymphoma, they destroyed bone marrow, then reconstituted it from hematopoietic stem cells bearing any of several different shRNAs corresponding to parts of the p53 gene. Complete deletion of p53 is known to increase cancer aggression.
The results were striking: The greater the p53 silencing, the faster the cancer spread and killed. "Each sequence affects gene expression to a different extent. It is a kinetic issue, dependent upon the strength of the sequence as an inhibitor, and how easily the sequence can be accessed in the message," says Hannon. Of course, no one would want to hamper the protective function of normal p53 expression, but that wasn't the goal. "It was a proof of principle. We can apply RNAi to a stem cell ex vivo, put it back in the animal, and it retains the altered characteristics," Hannon adds.
--Ricki Lewis
-
Shordy,
You said something about ... He is so mean sometimes? Did you mean you Dad. Often when a person is having liver problems they can become VERY IRRITABLE because of the liver not functioning correctly
I know it is hard to see. I've been through it recently. At least remember there are a lot of people on this board that are thinking of you
God bless,
John
-
shordy,
Sorry to hear about your dad. The swelling is probably from the liver mets. You need to ask about chemoembolism or radio frequency ablation immediately. If the liver mets can be resected or reduced through regional chemotherapy it must be done soon
Other things to ask. I read that swelling can be due to thrombosis. If this is the case ask about herapin (a blood thinner)
Also ask about albumin threapy. Albumin is produced by the liver and when there are liver mets sometimes this goes low. Low albumin, I read can cause swelling.
lactulose (Lasix) will control the ammonia that may stay in his body.
In any case, you may want to try to get to the Markey cancer center in at the U of Ky for a 2nd opinion. This is probably the closest NCI desginated center in Ky.
The same thing swelling happened to my mom.
" ...Colorectal hepatic metastases: resection, local ablation, and hepatic artery infusion pump are associated with prolonged survival. "
http://www.leiomyosarcoma.org/staging/m ... .htm#liver
It is good at least that he is getting Iressa, it works well in some patients.
Praying for you Dad
John
-
-
In certain cases cancer can cause blood clotting. Since Vitamin K causes blood clotting you may want to be careful taking this.
from a web site ...
"As for the pain and swelling in Mrs. Benchley's leg, tests revealed that she had deep vein thrombosis of a vein in her right leg. Also called DVT, deep vein thrombosis is a condition in which a blood clot blocks or reduces the flow of blood through one of the body's main veins. It can cause pain and swelling and can sometimes be life-threatening. For reasons that are not completely understood, it often occurs together with cancer.
For her DVT, Mrs. Benchley was given the usual treatment, which is IV heparin in the hospital, followed by warfarin, an oral anticoagulant (blood thinner) at home. Sold under a variety of brand names, heparin is a prescription anticoagulant that slows the rate of blood clot formation. It can both prevent formation of blood clots after surgery and, as in the case of Mrs. Benchley, help dissolve blood clots that have already formed. Warfarin, (usually sold under the brand name Coumadin®), is an oral anticoagulant."
For bone mets, sometimes doctors give Zometa.
There are clinical studies using melatonin (20 mg) (this is a large dose) as a radiosensitiver for brain mets
Dr Weil, recommends Astragalus and a mushroom blend for cancer patients.
I have also read that whey protien and soy products may help.
If you do try anything just at least make sure it is VERY safe and doesnt cause more harm than good.
Good Luck
-
-
Glad you are not having any symptoms from the cancer. You might want to ask about sandostatin LAR. It is given less than 3 times a day and may be as effective. Again I am not a doctor but here is a reference
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/quer ... t=Abstract
http://hometown.aol.com/asimmsjr/can4.htm
Best of luck. Also there are specific sites for carcinoid tumors, though of course this message board also provides a lot of support
Good luck
john
-
-
I would contact the doctor as soon as you can. Just to make sure nothing is wrong
God Bless
-
Dont know of anyone personally, but Lance Armstrong (the cyclist) describes in his book how he coughed up black goop while undergoing chemo. He said he visualized it being dead cancer cells
If you have any concerns contact you doctor
Take care
-
Teet,
http://www.healthology.com/search_new.a ... ySearch=2#
Ask about Sandostain LAR and a Octreoscan
Sorry you had to go through all that. It still makes me mad how arrogant some doctors are.
A long time ago, I found some research that said Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (my mom's cancer) behaves like small cell and is best treated as small cell.
She (my mom) had an upper lobe removed, radiation and was given a vaccine.
My problem with the vaccine was that no tests were done. Many vaccines target specific receptors or specific tumors. They can be tested for a mutated p53 gene, RAS oncogenes, or HER2, etc. She never received any tests and was blindly given the vaccine
Anyway, it did not work. Now there are mets in the brain and liver.
Tiny, make sure they do a liver scan or brain scan every so often. At the very least they can palpitate the liver to see if it is enlarged
Tiny, I am glad they caught it early though. I would make sure you stay on top of it, but also try not to think about it sometimes and just enjoy the day.
Good luck.
John
-
My aunt is a pediatrician in NYC. She found the names of people doing Octreoscans. One happened to be in New Orleans at Tulane. I can get you the name if you want it. I think the person also does RFA. Rfa does seem very promising since it is not very invasive and most people I have read leave the next day after the procedure
John
-
Teet,
You probably have a low grade tumor since it does not respond to chemo. Do a search on the web for carcinoid. You also may want to get a Octreoscan. It is a nuclear scan that detects cancer cells kind of like a PET but it is slightly different.
The carcinoids can grow slowly for years and usually do not respond to chemo
The doctor should have had a pathologist look slides if a biopsy was done. Was there a biopsy?
I am not a doctor so I would ask your doctor these questions.
Good luck
-
This is a scan that test the cancer for Somastatin receptors. If your cancer has these receptors, the it can be treated with Octreotide in combination with chemo.
It seems there have been good sucess with this. It is mostly for neuroendocrine tumors
John
-
sissdj,
What stage was he diagnosed in? Doesnt sound like you are getting
very good care.
John
-
-
Have they ruled out bone mets? In anycase, ask about Zometa or another biphosphonate
Good luck
-
If you have Large cell that does not reponse to chemo. ask the doctor for immunostainings for chromogranin A and synaptophysin.
Show them the above article
-
-
-
I just visited my mom's oncologist. He started asking her questions. The question of "did/do you smoke" come up.
She said no.
The he said, "I am seeing a LOT of women who dont smoke get lung cancer"
He asked other questions?
1) Radon
2) Chemicals
3) 2nd Handsmoke
4) Asbestos
5) Estrogen
He wanted to find out why? I just read that estrogens may cause cancer.
I also heard estrogen may be added to some makeup? Is this one of the causes???
stem cell research and targeting p53
in LUNG CANCER IN THE NEWS
Posted
interesting articles
http://www.nature.com/nsu/010830/010830-9.html
http://www.nature.com/nsu/021230/021230-2.html