The devastating changes that turn healthy tissue into cancer are to be investigated in the biggest centre of its kind in the NHS.
The laboratories at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) will use information in tumour DNA to help find the best "personalised" treatments.
Its director said this was not science fiction and would be day-to-day practice in the NHS within a decade.
Rapid advances in being able to sequence the genetic code of patients are allowing breakthroughs in understanding which mutations transform a healthy cell into a cancerous one.
Identifying the mutations can then be used to choose the best treatment. The most famous example of this is the drug Herceptin, which is used in breast cancers with a certain genetic abnormality.
The new centre will test samples from patients at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London.
The ICR's director, Prof Alan Ashworth, said: "None of this is science fiction. This is now happening. We think we're pioneering the clinical application of this by setting up the Tumour Profiling Unit, but one would think this would be absolutely routine practice for every cancer patient - and that's what we're aiming to bring about."
Other challenges for the field include storing the data. The genetic codes of one million cancer patients would take up the same amount of space as YouTube.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21235103
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Monday, January 21, 2013
Leprosy bacteria use 'biological alchemy'
The study, in the journal Cell, showed leprosy-causing bacteria turning nerves into stem cells and muscle.
The authors said the "clever and sophisticated" technique could further therapies and stem-cell research.
Prof Rambukkana also believes it is "probable" that other species of bacteria would have evolved the same ability to reprogramme their host.
Prof Chris Mason, a specialist in stem cell research at University College London, said: "The ability of bacteria to convert one mammalian cell type to another is 'alchemy' by nature on a grand scale.
"The next essential step is to translate this valuable piece of knowledge into tangible benefits for patients - a process that may take a decade before its relevance to clinical medicine is fully understood."
Prof Diana Lockwood, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: "Their finding that bacteria can reprogramme cells is very interesting and exciting."
Dr Rob Buckle, head of regenerative medicine at the Medical Research Council, said: "This discovery is important not just for our understanding and treatment of bacterial disease, but for the rapidly progressing field of regenerative medicine."
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21056644
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Healing Blind Mice
Blind mice can see again, after researchers transplanted developing cells into their eyes and found they could reform the entire light-sensitive layer of the retina.
Study was led by Dr. Mandeep Singh, an eye surgeon from the National University Hospital of Singapore and a clinician-scientist with the Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI), while he was a Ph.D. student with Professor Robert MacLaren at the University of Oxford, U.K.
The researchers worked with mice that were blind due to complete loss of the light-sensing photoreceptor cells in their retinas. This is the most relevant mouse model for treating patients who are blind from retinitis pigmentosa.
The article can be found at: Singh M et al. (2013) Reversal of end-stage retinal degeneration and restoration of visual function by photoreceptor transplantation.
Source: http://www.asianscientist.com/in-the-lab/healing-blind-mice-2013/
Study was led by Dr. Mandeep Singh, an eye surgeon from the National University Hospital of Singapore and a clinician-scientist with the Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI), while he was a Ph.D. student with Professor Robert MacLaren at the University of Oxford, U.K.
The researchers worked with mice that were blind due to complete loss of the light-sensing photoreceptor cells in their retinas. This is the most relevant mouse model for treating patients who are blind from retinitis pigmentosa.
The article can be found at: Singh M et al. (2013) Reversal of end-stage retinal degeneration and restoration of visual function by photoreceptor transplantation.
Source: http://www.asianscientist.com/in-the-lab/healing-blind-mice-2013/
Audi’s Cars Can Now Park Themselves; Driving Themselves Is Not Far Behind
Volkswagen Group works on innovative technologies, like advanced driver assistance, navigation, and of course, piloted driving (Audi prefers the term "piloted" to "autonomous" because it implies that the human in the car still has ultimate responsibility).
Audi representatives say that piloted parking will be commercialized in the next few years. Autonomous vehicles could be available by the end of the decade. In the coming years, automakers will take baby steps towards producing fully autonomous vehicles, starting with piloted parking technology. By the time self-driving cars hit the road, they won’t seem so sci-fi.
Source: http://www.fastcoexist.com/1681188/audis-cars-can-now-park-themselves-driving-themselves-is-not-far-behind?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+fastcompany%2Fheadlines+(Fast+Company)#1
Thursday, January 10, 2013
'Drug holidays' beat cancer drug resistance in mice
Introducing medication-free spells to some cancer treatments may keep patients alive for longer, studies in mice with skin cancer suggest.
The animals had melanoma, which can rapidly become resistant to treatments.
However, a study in the journal Nature showed tumours also became dependent on the drug to survive. Withdrawing treatment caused tumours to shrink.
Experts said the findings were exciting, but still needed testing in people.
The tumours gain resistance by changing the chemistry of the inside of a cell. However, the researchers showed this process left the cancer cells dependent on the drug - like an addict.
When the mice were no longer given the drug, the tumours began to shrink.
The scientists used this knowledge to test a new way of prescribing the medication. Instead of giving the drug every day, the mice were given drugs for four weeks and then had a two week "drug holiday" before starting the pattern over again.
Efim Guzik, professor of cancer biology at University of California, San Francisco, said: "Remarkably, intermittent dosing with vemurafenib prolonged the lives of mice with drug-resistant melanoma tumours.
Whether the same effect would be seen in people given the same medication is uncertain.
Prof Mark Middleton, director of Cancer Research UK's Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre in Oxford, said: "We still need to test the idea in the clinic, but these results suggest a way in which this important new treatment might be able to increase the benefit to patients and their families.
Prof Marais said the same effect is possible in other forms of targeted cancer drug treatment.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20956179
The animals had melanoma, which can rapidly become resistant to treatments.
However, a study in the journal Nature showed tumours also became dependent on the drug to survive. Withdrawing treatment caused tumours to shrink.
Experts said the findings were exciting, but still needed testing in people.
The tumours gain resistance by changing the chemistry of the inside of a cell. However, the researchers showed this process left the cancer cells dependent on the drug - like an addict.
When the mice were no longer given the drug, the tumours began to shrink.
The scientists used this knowledge to test a new way of prescribing the medication. Instead of giving the drug every day, the mice were given drugs for four weeks and then had a two week "drug holiday" before starting the pattern over again.
Efim Guzik, professor of cancer biology at University of California, San Francisco, said: "Remarkably, intermittent dosing with vemurafenib prolonged the lives of mice with drug-resistant melanoma tumours.
Whether the same effect would be seen in people given the same medication is uncertain.
Prof Mark Middleton, director of Cancer Research UK's Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre in Oxford, said: "We still need to test the idea in the clinic, but these results suggest a way in which this important new treatment might be able to increase the benefit to patients and their families.
Prof Marais said the same effect is possible in other forms of targeted cancer drug treatment.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20956179
Sickle-shaped blood cells 'may kill cancer cells in mice'
Misshapen red blood cells could be used as a tool to kill cancer cells in mice, research in the journal Plos One shows.
Sickle-shaped cells can stick together in blood vessels surrounding tumours in mice and block blood flowing to the cancer, researchers says.
The irregularly shaped cells can also deposit toxic residues on the tumour, leading to cancer cell death.
The US researchers from Duke University and Jenomic, a private research company, gave a fluorescent sickle-cell solution to mice with cancer and watched what happened inside their systems.
Within five minutes the misshapen cells began to stick like 'Velcro' to blood vessels near the oxygen-starved areas of the tumour, Prof Mark Dewhirst co-author of the study, from Duke University, said.
"We found that sickle cells show a highly unique natural attraction to oxygen-deprived tumours.
"Once clustered within the tumour, the sickle cells deposit a toxic residue... causing tumour cell death," Dr David Terman, a co-author of the study and head of molecular genetics at Jenomic said.
"This is an intriguing new tactic for destroying tumours that are resistant to standard treatments, but the research was carried out in mice so the next challenge will be to show whether this approach is safe and effective in people with cancer," said Dr Emma Smith of Cancer Research UK.
The researchers say their approach could be directed at breast cancers, prostate cancers and many other tumours that develop resistance to current therapies, once more animal studies and human trials have been carried out.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20959968
Sickle-shaped cells can stick together in blood vessels surrounding tumours in mice and block blood flowing to the cancer, researchers says.
The irregularly shaped cells can also deposit toxic residues on the tumour, leading to cancer cell death.
The US researchers from Duke University and Jenomic, a private research company, gave a fluorescent sickle-cell solution to mice with cancer and watched what happened inside their systems.
Within five minutes the misshapen cells began to stick like 'Velcro' to blood vessels near the oxygen-starved areas of the tumour, Prof Mark Dewhirst co-author of the study, from Duke University, said.
"We found that sickle cells show a highly unique natural attraction to oxygen-deprived tumours.
"Once clustered within the tumour, the sickle cells deposit a toxic residue... causing tumour cell death," Dr David Terman, a co-author of the study and head of molecular genetics at Jenomic said.
"This is an intriguing new tactic for destroying tumours that are resistant to standard treatments, but the research was carried out in mice so the next challenge will be to show whether this approach is safe and effective in people with cancer," said Dr Emma Smith of Cancer Research UK.
The researchers say their approach could be directed at breast cancers, prostate cancers and many other tumours that develop resistance to current therapies, once more animal studies and human trials have been carried out.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20959968
Friday, January 04, 2013
The Future of Medicine Is Now
- Surgeons at Boston Children’s Hospital have developed a way to help children born with half a heart to essentially grow a whole one — by marshaling the body’s natural capacity to heal and develop.
- Oxford Nanopore Technologies has unveiled the first of a generation of tiny DNA sequencing devices that many predict will eventually be as ubiquitous as cellphones — it’s already the size of one.
- A test developed by Foundation Medicine Inc. enables doctors to test a tumor sample for 280 different genetic mutations suspected of driving tumor growth.
- Last month, the FDA cleared a new iPhone add-on that lets doctors take an electrocardiogram just about anywhere. Other smartphone apps help radiologists read medical images and allow patients to track moles for signs of skin cancer.
- Gene therapy is poised to become a viable option for a variety of often life-threatening medical conditions, especially those resulting from a single defective gene.
Source:
Unleash an army of immune cells to hunt down a cancer
MK3475, being developed by Merck & Co., is among a new category of drugs that unleash an army of immune cells to hunt down a cancer.
For decades, cancer researchers have wondered why the immune system typically doesn't treat tumor cells as invaders and target them. Part of the mystery was recently solved: Tumors protect themselves by hijacking the body's natural brake for the immune system.
MK3475, being developed by Merck & Co., is among a new category of drugs that release the brake, unleashing an army of immune cells to hunt down the cancer. A recent report from a trial in which Mr. Stutz participated said that of 85 patients who took the drug, 51% saw their tumors significantly shrink; in eight cases, the tumors couldn't be detected on imaging tests.
Still, not everyone was helped. And unleashing the immune system can put normal cells in harm's way: In studies of MK3745 and similar drugs, some patients developed serious side effects related to immune-system response, including a small number who died.
Source:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323530404578205692226506324.html
http://www.mercknewsroom.com/press-release/research-and-development-news/merck-presents-early-stage-interim-data-mk-3475-investig
For decades, cancer researchers have wondered why the immune system typically doesn't treat tumor cells as invaders and target them. Part of the mystery was recently solved: Tumors protect themselves by hijacking the body's natural brake for the immune system.
MK3475, being developed by Merck & Co., is among a new category of drugs that release the brake, unleashing an army of immune cells to hunt down the cancer. A recent report from a trial in which Mr. Stutz participated said that of 85 patients who took the drug, 51% saw their tumors significantly shrink; in eight cases, the tumors couldn't be detected on imaging tests.
Still, not everyone was helped. And unleashing the immune system can put normal cells in harm's way: In studies of MK3745 and similar drugs, some patients developed serious side effects related to immune-system response, including a small number who died.
Source:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323530404578205692226506324.html
http://www.mercknewsroom.com/press-release/research-and-development-news/merck-presents-early-stage-interim-data-mk-3475-investig
Immune system 'booster' may hit cancer
Vast numbers of cells that can attack cancer and HIV have been grown in the lab, and could potentially be used to fight disease.
The cells naturally occur in small numbers, but it is hoped injecting huge quantities back into a patient could turbo-charge the immune system.
The Japanese research is published in the journal Cell Stem Cell.
The researchers concentrated on a type of white blood cell known as a cytotoxic T-cell, which can recognise telltale markings of infection or cancer on the surfaces of cells. If a marking is recognised, it launches an attack.
Teams at the University of Tokyo and the Riken Research Centre for Allergy and Immunology used advances in stem cell technology to make more T-cells.
Dr Hiroshi Kawamoto, who worked on the cancer immune cells at Riken, said: "The next step will be to test whether these T-cells can selectively kill tumour cells, but not other cells in the body.
"If they do, these cells might be directly injected into patients for therapy. This could be realized in the not-so-distant future."
Dr Hiromitsu Nakauchi from the University of Tokyo said it was "unclear" whether this technique would help in treating HIV and that other infections and cancer may be a better place to start.
Prof Alan Clarke, the director of the European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute at Cardiff University, said: "This is a potentially very exciting development which extends our capacity to develop novel cell therapies."
Prof Sir John Burn, from the Institute of Genetic Medicine at Newcastle University, said: "This is a very appealing concept and the research team are to be congratulated on demonstrating the feasibility of expanding these killer cells.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20898931
The cells naturally occur in small numbers, but it is hoped injecting huge quantities back into a patient could turbo-charge the immune system.
The Japanese research is published in the journal Cell Stem Cell.
The researchers concentrated on a type of white blood cell known as a cytotoxic T-cell, which can recognise telltale markings of infection or cancer on the surfaces of cells. If a marking is recognised, it launches an attack.
Teams at the University of Tokyo and the Riken Research Centre for Allergy and Immunology used advances in stem cell technology to make more T-cells.
Dr Hiroshi Kawamoto, who worked on the cancer immune cells at Riken, said: "The next step will be to test whether these T-cells can selectively kill tumour cells, but not other cells in the body.
"If they do, these cells might be directly injected into patients for therapy. This could be realized in the not-so-distant future."
Dr Hiromitsu Nakauchi from the University of Tokyo said it was "unclear" whether this technique would help in treating HIV and that other infections and cancer may be a better place to start.
Prof Alan Clarke, the director of the European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute at Cardiff University, said: "This is a potentially very exciting development which extends our capacity to develop novel cell therapies."
Prof Sir John Burn, from the Institute of Genetic Medicine at Newcastle University, said: "This is a very appealing concept and the research team are to be congratulated on demonstrating the feasibility of expanding these killer cells.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20898931
Thursday, January 03, 2013
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