2 new compounds show promise for eliminating breast cancer tumors

Compounds disrupt bonding of cancer-related protien

Two new compounds created by a University of Central Florida professor show early promise for destroying breast cancer tumors.

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New platinum-phosphate compounds kill ovarian cancer cells

A new class of compounds called phosphaplatins can effectively kill ovarian, testicular, head and neck cancer cells with potentially less toxicity than conventional drugs, according to a new study published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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New imaging technique tracks cancer-killing cells over prolonged period

Coaxing a patient’s own cells to hunt down and tackle infected or diseased cells is a promising therapeutic approach for many disorders. But until now, efforts to follow these specially modified cells after their reintroduction to the body have relied on short-term monitoring techniques that don’t give a complete picture of the cells’ status.

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Protein compels ovarian cancer cells to cannibalize themselves

A protein known to inhibit the growth of ovarian cancer works in part by forcing cancer cells to eat themselves until they die, researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center report in the Nov. 15 issue of Cancer Research.

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Proton Therapy May Reduce Serious Side Effect of Lung Cancer Treatment

Patients with locally advanced lung cancer who receive chemotherapy and proton therapy, a specialized form of radiation therapy only available in a few centers in the United States, have fewer instances of a serious side effect called bone marrow toxicity than patients who receive chemotherapy and another type of radiation therapy called intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), according to a study presented at the 2008 Chicago Multidisciplinary Symposium in Thoracic Oncology, sponsored by ASTRO, ASCO, IASLC and the University of Chicago.

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Researchers describe how chronic inflammation can lead to stomach cancer

A multi-center research team, led by Columbia University Medical Center, has uncovered a major contributor to the cause of stomach cancer the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the world. The team described for the first time, that elevated levels of a single proinflammatory cytokine, an immune system protein called interleukin-1 beta (IL-1â), can start the progression towards stomach cancer. These results are published in the Nov. 4, 2008 issue of Cancer Cell. The researchers hope to use this finding to develop ways to block this process, thereby preventing cancer from developing.

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Genetic predictors of esophageal cancer identified

Researchers have identified 11 genotypes that may increase esophageal cancer risk, according to research published in the November issue of Cancer Prevention Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

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New substance tackles skin cancer from 2 sides

A single ‘designer molecule’ tackles malignant cells by 2 completely different routes

By playing it safe and using a two-pronged attack, a novel designer molecule fights malignant melanoma. It was created and tested by an international team of researchers led by the University of Bonn. On the one hand, the substance is similar to components of viruses and in this way alerts the immune system. The body’s own defences are also strengthened against cancer cells in this process. At the same time, the novel molecule also puts pressure on the tumour in a different way. It switches off a specific gene in the malignant cells, thus driving them to suicide. With mice suffering from cancer, the researchers have thus been able to fight metastases in the lung. In Nature Medicine’s November issue they report about this promising strategy. This article is available online from November 2nd 6 p.m. GMT onwards (doi: 10.1038/nm.1887).

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Purple Genetically Modified Tomato Extended Lives of Cancer-Prone Mice

Tomatoes genetically modified to be rich in antioxidants called anthocyanins appeared to extend the life spans of cancer-prone mice, a European study finds.

The modified tomatoes were created by adding two genes (Delila and Rosea1) from the snapdragon flower. The anthocyanins, which belong to the flavonoid class of antioxidants, gave the tomatoes a peculiar purple color.

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Early trial of new multi-kinase inhibitor shows impressive activity in thyroid cancer

Preliminary trials of a new multi-kinase inhibitor have indicated it has impressive tumour shrinkage activity in patients with a difficult to treat type of thyroid cancer. The results have put the drug’s development on a fast track, prompting the accelerated initiation of a large phase III trial.

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