ScienceDaily (2008-01-28) -- People who receive high doses of the chemotherapy drug methotrexate to treat a certain type of brain tumor appear to live longer than people receiving other treatments, according to new research.
Calibrant Announces Brain Cancer Drug Discovery Program with Cleveland Clinic
January 25, 2008 08:02 AM Eastern Time
GAITHERSBURG, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Calibrant Biosystems today announced a research collaboration with the Cleveland Clinic to identify novel drug targets for primary brain cancer using Calibrant’s Gemini proteomics platform. As part of the partnership, Calibrant will identify protein networks and novel therapeutic targets involved in the progression of the most common and aggressive primary brain cancer, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).
“Our collaboration represents another important cancer drug program for Calibrant,” stated Dr. Brian Balgley, Chief Technology Officer of Calibrant Biosystems. “The study reflects Calibrant’s ability to apply the Gemini platform to targeted discovery from microdissected cell populations for the effective identification of disease-relevant pathways and drug targets.” Calibrant’s collaborator, Robert J. Weil, M.D., is the Melvin Burkhardt Chair of Brain Tumor Research and Director of Laboratory Research in the Brain Tumor & Neuro-Oncology Center at Cleveland Clinic.
This latest partnership with the Cleveland Clinic adds tremendous value to Calibrant’s existing drug discovery collaborations. Calibrant has recently established several drug discovery collaborations with world-renowned medical research centers this year, leading to active therapeutic programs for cancer indications including breast and ovarian cancer.
About Calibrant Biosystems
Calibrant Biosystems is a Gaithersburg, MD biotechnology company specializing in targeted drug discovery from clinical tissue specimens. Calibrant’s advanced Gemini discovery platform, which is compatible with both fresh and formalin-fixed archival tissues, provides the unique ability to comparatively map protein networks between different cell types within a single tissue section. With an initial focus on monoclonal antibody drug development in oncology, Calibrant is leveraging the Gemini platform for the development of first-in-class therapeutics across a range of cancer indications. More information is available at www.calibrant.com.
Note: Gemini is a trademark of Calibrant Biosystems.
Contacts
Calibrant Biosystems
Dr. Michael Salgaller
Chief Operating Officer
301-977-7900
michael.salgaller@calibrant.com
Nanotubes Help Advance Brain Tumor Research
ScienceDaily (2008-01-24) -- The potential of carbon nanotubes to diagnose and treat brain tumors is being explored through a new partnership. Nanotechnology may help revolutionize medicine in the future with its promise to play a role in selective cancer therapy.
Your Spouse Has Been Diagnosed With Cancer - Getting Through The First Few Days
The first few days after the diagnosis of your loved one are the most confusing times of all. You are operating on limited information, and you are both in shock. Questions abound. Give yourself some time to adjust. Here are some recommendations compiled by myself, and others that will help you get through the first few days.
If researching online is stressful or frightening, don't do it at first....or delegate it to someone you trust. You will have plenty of time to learn more later.
Acknowledge the News
Don't try to act as if nothing is happening. This is a crisis and your lives will change. Give yourself some slack. You may consider taking off work for a few days to get your breath back or cancel routine plans.
CommunicationYou don't have to tell anyone right away. Give yourselves a chance to digest this information without worrying about how to share the information with others or worry about what their reactions may be. There will be plenty of time to deal with this later. If you decide to tell friends and family, remember you are not responsible for taking care of them if they are upset by the news. Consider asking another family member or friend to call people you want to know if you can't or don't want to talk to them right now. If you need to be with family and friends, tell them so, if you need to be alone, be honest about that as well.
Gathering InformationIf researching online is stressful or frightening, don't do it at first....or delegate it to someone you trust. You will have plenty of time to learn more later.
Don't Rush Into a Treatment Plan
In most cases, you will have several weeks or even months to make this decision. The only thing you really need to do initially is to make sure you have the next medical appointments set up....your next doctor's visit, and ideally another visit for a second opinion. After these appointments you will have the information you need to make your treatment decisions.Write down all your questions as you think of them, for your loved one's doctor, insurance company, or employer. By writing these down you can release these from your mind until they are answered, and in the early stages of diagnosis, it's very difficult to keep all of your thoughts straight.
Take Care of YourselfEmotional stress is extremely exhausting. You will most likely feel very tired for the first few days. Nap, or at least lay down for awhile. Go to a movie or do some sedate activity. Continue to exercise if that's part of your life, if not, just go for a walk. It will clear your head and make you feel better. Eat, even if you aren't hungry. You have a journey ahead of you and you need to stay strong.
These first few days are often the worst as there is very little information to go on and the emotional impact is enormous. It's important to remember that you won't always feel like this.Jayne Hutchinson was immersed into a new world after her husband was diagnosed with cancer. She found there was little information and support available for spouses and partners. She created the My Loved One Has Cancer web site to fill that gap.This web site features comprehensive resources and tools to make the cancer journey easier for the spouse or partner of a loved one with cancer. http://www.mylovedonehascancer.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jayne_HutchinsonDealing With Chemobrain After Surviving Cancer
By John Fink
You've undergone chemotherapy and are now a cancer survivor. You find that you are physically and mentally exhausted. You are probably not too surprised at that. After all, you went through a lot during your battle with cancer.You may be more concerned with the mental deterioration than with the physical exhaustion. You may be constantly in a fog. You may have difficulty concentrating, focusing and remembering things. You may even start to think that you have Alzheimer's disease. I jokingly used to say, "I have chemobrain". I don't know where I picked up that term but I thought it was a non-medical vernacular term.
Did you know that chemobrain is a real medical condition? A recent UCLA study shows that chemotherapy causes changes to the brain's metabolism and blood. According to that study, chemotherapy patients experience disrupted thought processes and confusion.
Hospitals and cancer organizations are unanimous in recognizing chemobrain as a very real medical condition. Recently oncologist Dr Patricia Ganz received a grant from the National Cancer Institute to conduct a five year study on chemobrain.Researchers from New York's University of Rochester found several types of key brain cells were highly vulnerable to the drugs used in chemotherapy. According to Dr Mark Noble of the University of Rochester, "This is the first study that puts chemobrain on a sound scientific footing."
From the Science Daily, "Cancer survivors, take note. The mental fog and forgetfulness of "chemo brain" are no figment of your imagination."Now that we recognize that chemobrain is very real medical condition, what can we do about it? Here are some suggestions:
Establish routines.
Use a daily planner
Exercise your brain. Read, get a hobby, do volunteer work Take some courses.Get sufficient rest and sleep.
Don't dwell on your chemobrain symptoms.Talk to family, friends, and your healthcare team about your chemobrain
Remember, you are not dim-witted or nuts; you have a real side-effect to chemotherapy.Researchers are also looking at different medications as possible treatments for chemobrain.
After undergoing chemotherapy, you may not want a medicine to treat the side effects of another medicine. Research suggests the following:Exercise. It's a known fact that exercise can improve you mood, increase your energy and help your concentration.
A healthy diet.Certain vitamins and supplements.
John Fink is a Stage IV Cancer SurvivorArticle Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Fink
http://EzineArticles.com/?Dealing-With-Chemobrain-After-Surviving-Cancer&id=917231
Cancer Patients Need Caregivers To Become Cancer Survivors
By John Fink
I have never enjoyed visiting people in the hospital. Or even in their home when they were sick. That's not a good thing for an ordained minister. When I was the pastor of a church, visiting the sick was not my most enjoyable task. However, it is something we all should do, even if it is not the most enjoyable activity.The following suggestions should help you be the supportive person for your loved one or even a casual friend who has been diagnosed with cancer.
Your first fear is, "What shall I say?" You actually don't have to say anything. Or at least not very much. Your first job is to listen. This is difficult when you are with someone you care about who is facing a life-threatening illness.
It is imperative to listen without offering unrealistic expectations. Miracles do happen. I am one of them. No one, not even my doctors expected me to live. I felt so hopeless that I called hospice in. The only bright spots in my day were the visits of my friends and family. I think those visits were as much a factor in my recovery as the chemotherapy treatments, my surgeries and the 38 radiation treatments I endured.
Most of my visitors refrained from telling me how good I looked and promising me that I would be my "old self" in no time. Yeah right. With tubes up my nose and extending from my arm I resented what I perceived as false hope. I am not saying that you should not provide words of encouragements and hope. Just be careful not to promise things your loved one my not have the capacity to believe right now.
It is common human behavior to say "Oh, you're going to be just fine". Just sitting with someone who is sick and not feeling very hopeful can be the most significant contribution that you will make to your loved one's well-being.
Stay in touch. Cancer treatment and recovery can be a long drawn out process. Cancer patients often think that "people don't call or visit any more" Checking in regularly over the long haul is tremendously helpful. I don't think cancer survivors can become cancer survivors if it were not for loving caregivers and supportive family and friends.
John Fink is a Stage IV Cancer Survivor
http://www.yourcancerinfo.com
http://www.askacancersurvivor.com
http://EzineArticles.com/?Cancer-Patients-Need-Caregivers-To-Become-Cancer-Survivors&id=921868
JPL Nanotubes Help Advance Brain Tumor Research
Interesting article from NASA regarding the use of Nanotubes to improve the brains immune system response.
PASADENA, Calif.- The potential of carbon nanotubes to diagnose and treat brain tumors is being explored through a partnership between NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., and City of Hope, a leading cancer research and treatment center in Duarte, Calif.
PASADENA, Calif.- The potential of carbon nanotubes to diagnose and treat brain tumors is being explored through a partnership between NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., and City of Hope, a leading cancer research and treatment center in Duarte, Calif.
Caregiver Insight - Communication Issues
In caring for my father, I think it's important to share some of the communication issues you might face in caring for someone with a brain tumor. Deficits in GBM IV patients may vary greatly depending on the tumor location, tumor size, and progression of the disease. Due to the location of my fathers tumor we have been dealing with aphasia since the initial diagnosis.
Wikipedia Definition of Aphasia:
A loss of the ability to produce and/or comprehend language, due to injury to brain areas specialized for these functions. It is not a result of deficits in sensory, intellect, or psychiatric functioning. (Brookshire, 1992; Goodglass 1993) It is also not muscle weakness or a cognitive disorder.
Depending on the area and extent of the damage, someone suffering from aphasia may be able to speak but not write, or vice versa, or display any of a wide variety of other deficiencies in language comprehension and production, such as being able to sing but not speak. Aphasia may co-occur with speech disorders such as dysarthria or apraxia of speech, which also result from brain damage.
Others may not have to deal with such deficits until further along in the disease. In any case, this can be a very frustrating time for both patient and caregiver.From Brainhospice.com here are some ways of improving communication. Please don't be alarmed by the term hospice. These tips are useful to caregivers and patients even in early stages of this disease - especially if the temporal lobe is affected.
Communication with the patient can be compromised by several things, and the breakdown can occur on both sides of the conversation.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
When the Patient... ...the Caregiver...
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
has problems with slurring or garbling of speech may find it hard to understand but may feel desperate to hold
on to some quality of interaction
has word-finding difficulties or misuses words may jump in prematurely to provide a word or finish a sentence
has short- or long-term memory loss may find the repetition tiring and frustrating
expresses nonsensical or delusional thoughts may be caught in a cycle of trying to correct the patient and keep things real
rambles or speaks with long pauses may begin to assume that what the patient is trying to say, in itself, makes no sense and may decrease the effort to understand
decreases interaction may feel an incredible sense of loneliness
speaks short-temperedly due to frustration may take it personally due to fatigue and sadness
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
When the Caregiver... ...the Patient...
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
speaks too quickly may be overwhelmed and may withdraw
asks multi-pronged questions may be very confused by the choices
gives too much information may be unable to cognitively process it or may become angry, frustrated, or fatigued
becomes frustrated by the slow speed of may read the nonverbal reaction and become angry or hurt or the conversation shut down the conversation
finishes the patient's thoughts may feel misunderstood and may become frustrated; this may be especially frustrating to those with prior strong verbal skills
speaks to the patient as one would speak may pick up on the insulting tone, even if unintentional to a child
asks a number of questions in order to may feel insulted (if the answers are known) or frustrated (if
conduct a kind of informal cognitive the answers aren't known and yet he or she is aware that testing the questions are easy)
talks to the patient too quickly after waking may not be able to sort out whether the current conversation is real or a dream
converses with a lot of background noise may have a hard time filtering through the distractions and may (eg, TV, radio, visitors, young children) take longer to reply or may become irritable
withdraws from efforts at conversation may feel lonely and isolated, especially if the primary caregiver because they are so exhausting is his or her main link to the rest of the world
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
This section will discuss ways to make the most of the communications you share.
One of the biggest roadblocks to communication during this period is that the caregiver often communicates as he or she always has with the patient, as if there has been no change.
But by this time, most patients have indeed undergone many changes, on many levels, even if the physical appearance hasn't altered that much. When the patient is perhaps
experiencing speech deficits, confusion, fatigue, and personality change, he or she may, in fact, find communication to be exhausting and frustrating. Taking a different approach
may help, depending on the individual patient and his or her deficits.
Take the following example. A woman enters the room to see that her husband, the patient, is beginning to rouse from an afternoon nap. The man's speech is still sound, but his
cognition and memory have been severely affected. Lately, he has been particularly confused by time of day and by questions that require more than a yes/no answer. The house
has been quiet for hours. The wife has been lonely, puttering around doing light chores very quietly so as not to disturb him, and she is pleased now to see him waking. As he works
to reposition himself and "lose the cobwebs" of sleep, she approaches him with a big grin.
"Well, hello there, Mr. Rip Van Winkle! I've been waiting for you to wake up! Are you hungry? I held off on having lunch,
hoping you'd wake up before too long. Barbara from next door stopped by this morning and dropped off a chicken-and-rice
dish that smells delicious. Want some chicken and rice? It's like what your mom used to make sometimes. I put it in the oven
to keep it warm because I wasn't sure how long you'd sleep. Do you want to take your pills now or after you eat? Or maybe
it would be a good idea to take care of business first. Need to go to the bathroom? Why don't we do that first? I'll take you
down to the bathroom, and then I'll get lunch ready. How's that sound?"
Depending on the patient, the internal processing of all this (in parentheses) might go something like this:
(Oh. That's my wife.) "Hi." (Rip Van Winkle? I don't get it. There was a story, I think, about Rip Van Winkle. Or was that...?
I don't know. I can't remember. Am I hungry? I don't know. I was having this dream...or is this a dream? I don't know if
I'm even awake. Something about lunch. When did I last eat? What time is it? What day is it? How long was I asleep? Did I
miss a day? Who's Barbara? Oh, wait...Barbara...I used to work with a Barbara, didn't I? Barbara came here with food? I
haven't seen Barbara in a really long time. Why would she bring food here? Barbara knows where we live? Wait a second---
her name wasn't Barbara. It was Brenda. So who's this Barbara? Oh, I know. Barbara next door. Barbara and Kenny. Not
Kenny. Ronnie. Tommy? What the heck's wrong with me? I can't remember anybody. Do I want chicken and rice? Do I have
to pick one or the other? I know chicken. Chicken is good. I like chicken. Rice...like that cereal, you mean? That's breakfast,
not lunch. Is she asking me if it's time for lunch or breakfast? I don't know. Was Mom here? Wait...no...Mom passed away.
It was...I don't remember when...but we were living in Chicago then. I think it was Chicago. Huh? Pills? I don't know.
Whatever you give me, I guess. I don't even know what time it is. Do I need to go to the bathroom? I think...I think maybe.
How does that sound? Um....) "OK. Yes." (I hope that was the right answer. Oh, that's a relief---she looks happy. I said the
right thing. I must've got it right. Now...oh my...I really, really have to go to the bathroom!)
Most of this is internal processing. All the husband says is "Hi" and in reply, after a long delay, "OK. Yes." The wife, who has stood watching him while all of this thought
took place, is disappointed by the somewhat flat response and isn't sure which question the word "yes" actually answers. She is unaware that so much cognitive work took
place in order to form this meager reply.
A better exchange---and more of a true exchange would be:
"Hi."
(Oh. That's my wife.) "H-hi."
"Do you need to use the bathroom?"
(Do I?) "I...I don't know."
"OK. Let me help you to sit up first." After a few minutes of sitting together: "Want the bathroom now?"
"Um...yes."
"OK."
Afterward, she situates him in a comfortable place. Now that he is more alert, he feels a little less confused. The wife
brings in the chicken-and-rice dish to show him. "Want some? Barbara next door made it for you."
(That smells good. It looks good. I like chicken.) "Maybe...maybe a little bit."
"Good! I'll be right back." She prepares him a dish and brings in the food, a drink, and the midday pills. "Here you go."
Knowing that sometimes lately, her husband has seemed distracted doing two tasks at once---even everyday things
like eating and conversing---she decides to take his lead, see how clear he seems at the moment, perhaps ask him if he
likes the food, and put off an attempt at genuine conversation until after the meal is done and the pills have been taken.
After lunch, he seems more focused, so she leads some light talk, with frequent pauses to benefit his understanding. He
initiates little conversation now, but she finds that he will respond to questions. Yes/no questions seem much less confusing
than open-ended ones, so she uses these when possible. She decides to get out the photo album and look through it together,
in hopes it will stir some memories and elicit some conversation from him. Little prods, such as "Remember this?...Chicago....
Linda's wedding....Linda and Frank....Look at you....So handsome" seem to be helpful. Even if he's merely nodding, she sees
that the visual prompts and pauses are helpful, and he seems to be enjoying the activity and her nearness and attention toward
him. Occasionally, he can answer a more open prompt, and his wife tries to ask questions that she thinks will be easily answered.
Soon, he seems fatigued, and she makes him comfortable again.
For patients who are cognitively sharp but experience deficits in just the delivery of their speech, the approach would, of course, be very different. Some people have had good
luck with a special product called 50 Helps, a type of board with little pictures representing things most commonly asked for by a patient---things relating to eating, drinking, room
temperature, bathroom needs, and entertainments such as the TV. Someone crafty and clever in the family may be able to make a similar board or individual picture cards for the
patient who knows clearly what he or she wants but, due to speech deficits, can't communicate it. The little pictures can also serve as question prompts perhaps.
A great deal of patience may be required as the patient struggles with stuttering, stammering, slurring, or garbling. Such conversations can be very slow and may require time and
effort to clarify what is being said. The patient may become very frustrated, especially if already tired, at his or her own inability to communicate. Looks of impatience on the face
of the caregiver may not go unnoticed, making matters worse. The caregiver will need to find the path that works best for the two of them. Sometimes the patient finds it easier to
communicate when the caregiver is not making direct eye contact; leaning forward and making eye contact may make the patient feel rushed and flustered. On the other hand,
some patients may feel that the caregiver isn't fully engaged if he or she is puttering around the room during conversation. The caregiver's movements may, in themselves, be
distracting to the flow of thought. Figure it out as you go.
After a good conversational exchange, be aware of the factors that made it work. Is there a certain time of day at which the patient is more alert and tuned in? Was the patient
more animated when others were around or when there was privacy? Do you tend to lose him or her too long after a meal, when fatigue creeps in again?
When the patient is delusional or experiencing hallucinations, you will encounter conversations that seem a little wacky sometimes. A recent example, where a woman was in her
final month or so with gbm:
The patient says, "Am I Paul McCartney?"
"No," replies the caregiver.
"Are you sure there's no chance I could be Paul McCartney?"
"Why do you think you might be Paul McCartney?"
"Because I keep breaking out in song in my head."
Another example, from a male gbm patient conversing with his wife:
"I saw Hitler around here."
"You saw what?"
"Hitler. I saw him in the kitchen or...or...in the hallway. He was...in the hall."
"You saw Hitler in the hallway?"
"Yes. He was here before too. He's been here before."
Where does one take this kind of conversation? Well, as professional caregivers to the elderly and the mentally ill can attest, it is often fruitless to try to reorient the patient toward
reality. Such conversations can be extremely taxing to both patient and caregiver as the debate spins around and around, and even if results are achieved, they tend to be temporary
anyway. Rather than spar about reality and fantasy, the best responses to the above examples would be:
First example:
"Sometimes I sing songs in my head too.... Do you know what song you were singing?...
Would you like me to put on some music?"
Second example:
"Let me go check." The caregiver could get up, head to the hallway and kitchen, turn on
some lights, open a few closet doors in the hall, and then return. "He's definitely not there
now. I'll continue to check. If I see anything at all, I'll call the police right away. Don't
worry. I've got this one under control."
In the second example, it's fruitless to get into a discussion about how Hitler died years ago, couldn't possibly be in the house, etc. Much more important than the validity of the
claim is the underlying fear, and once that is addressed, the patient may become relaxed. This is not to say that visions of Hitler won't recur---because they might---but the
caregiver can address them one by one, perhaps escalating the measures taken to "rid the house of Hitler." When the patient is bedbound, a white lie such as "While you were
napping, I had a security alarm put in" or "I heard on the news that the police arrested Hitler and put him in jail" may help to put the issue to bed.
A very good friend who lost her 14-year-old son to gbm in England shared some of their conversations during his last few weeks. Word-finding difficulties frustrated this
extremely intelligent boy and made his status all too clear to his parents. My friend worded it this way, and I think that so many of us can relate: "If it weren't so &^$*% sad,
it would be fascinating."
As possible, remove obstacles to good communication:
impatience
background noise
bad timing
complicated wording
Through patience and receptive body language, communicate your respect for the patient's dignity. At those times when communication hits a road block that can't be surmounted,
you may have to choose between a generic response such as a nod of the head, "Oh, I know," or "Gosh, I'm not sure" or a heartfelt "I wish I could understand. I'm trying. I know
this is frustrating for you. I'm so sorry I can't seem to get this."
As you can see, there is a lot going on. From my experience, communication issues have been one of the most difficult and frustrating aspects of this disease. I wish I would have had this insight when this all started. I had to retrain my own communication skills in order to reduce the stress and frustration that surrounds this very emotionally charged situation.
Hopefully some of this will be helpful in improving your overall patient-caregiver relationship. Again, I've been dealing with this since the diagnosis. This is not just an end-stage thing for many. I will also mention that in researching this disease I often come across statistics and stories that are quite defeating. My goal here is to shield you from some of that while helping you find information that will help you in your journey. I know how difficult it can be to weed through the negatives to find useful information. Having dealt with this disease since the spring of 2007 I've developed a great mental filter in finding what I need to find without getting caught up in statistics!
Again, feel free to email me!
Cross hairs on a cancer
An experimental brain tumor vaccine coaxes the immune system to attack diseased cells only. Trials on other cancers may follow.
CANCER patients and physicians are always looking for therapies free of side effects. But the standard treatments available to them -- chemotherapy and radiation -- typically work via a shotgun approach, indiscriminately killing all rapidly dividing cells whether they're cancerous or not. A long-held notion that the immune response might, in some practical manner, be harnessed to target cancer cells while sparing the rest is now being put to the test.An experimental vaccine is now in multi-center, late-stage trials for treatment of glioblastoma, the most common brain cancer in adults. If the therapy lives up to its promise, it could potentially be used for other cancers as well.
Henry Ford Hospital and Rosetta Genomics to Develop MicroRNA-based Diagnostics for Brain Cancer
The American Cancer Society Estimates Approximately 20,000 Patients are Diagnosed With Brain Cancer Each Year in the U.S.
REHOVOT, Israel and NORTH BRUNSWICK, New Jersey, January 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Rosetta Genomics, Ltd. , a leader in the development of microRNA-based diagnostics and therapeutics, announced today it has signed a collaboration agreement with the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, Michigan, to develop microRNA-based diagnostics and prognostics for brain cancer. The Henry Ford Hospital is one of the world's leading research centers for brain cancer.
Under the collaboration, the parties will conduct a genome-wide molecular analysis of human brain cancer tumors to identify unique microRNA biomarkers that have diagnostic and prognostic potential. Upon receipt of the results from this analysis, Rosetta Genomics will use its proprietary microRNA extraction technologies to perform a microRNA analysis from Formalin Fixed Paraffin Embedded (FFPE) samples received from Henry Ford Hospital.
"The goal of our collaborations with the leading cancer research centers is to seek new indications for our microRNA-based diagnostics," said Amir Avniel, President and CEO of Rosetta Genomics. "Together with Henry Ford Hopsital's leading brain cancer researchers, we believe we will be able to leverage the potential microRNAs hold as biomarkers to develop diagnostic and prognostic tools for this difficult disease."
"There is great unmet medical need for improved diagnostics in identifying and treating patients with brain cancer," said Chaya Brodie, Ph.D., and Tom Mikkelsen, M.D. of the department of neurosurgery at Henry Ford Hospital. Dr. Brodie is Director of the William and Karen Davidson Laboratory of Cell Signaling & Tumorigenes and neuro-oncologist Dr. Mikkelsen is co-director of the Hermelin Brain Tumor Center. "A significant advantage of using microRNAs as biomarkers, is that they do not degrade when the tumor sample is stored as an FFPE block. As FFPE blocks can be stored at room temperature, these sample types are readily available and allow us to conduct retrospective studies. Through these studies, we can identify microRNA diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, such as for disease staging, response to treatment, and risk of recurrence. Combining Rosetta Genomics' proprietary technologies for microRNA research and its experience in this field with our expertise in brain cancer is a good starting point for this important project."
About MicroRNAs
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are recently discovered, naturally occurring small RNAs that act as master regulators and have the potential to form the basis for a new class of diagnostics and therapeutics. Since many diseases are caused by the abnormal activity of proteins, the ability to selectively regulate protein activity through microRNAs could provide the means to treat a wide range of human diseases. In addition, microRNAs have been shown to have different expression in various pathological conditions. As a result, these differences may provide for a novel diagnostic strategy for many diseases.
About Henry Ford Hospital
Henry Ford Hospital is a 903-bed tertiary care hospital, education and research complex in Detroit's New Center Area. The Hermelin Brain Tumor Center at Henry Ford Hospital focuses on brain and spine tumors and is considered one of the largest neuro-oncology centers in the nation. It also houses one of the most comprehensive brain tumor research labs and biorepository in the country. The Center continues to focus on novel investigations to help control brain tumor growth and spread, including molecular targeted therapy; gene therapy and anti-angiogenesis therapy.
About Rosetta Genomics
Rosetta Genomics is a leader in the development of microRNA-based diagnostics and therapeutics. Founded in 2000, the company's integrative research platform combining bioinformatics and state-of-the-art laboratory processes has led to the discovery of hundreds of biologically validated novel human microRNAs. Building on its strong IP position and proprietary platform technologies, Rosetta Genomics is working to develop a full range of microRNA-based diagnostic and therapeutic products, focusing primarily on cancer and various women's health indications. The company expects its first microRNA-based diagnostic tests to be launched during 2008.
Forward-Looking Statement Disclaimer
Various statements in this release concerning Rosetta's future expectations, plans and prospects, including without limitation, statements relating to the role of microRNAs in human physiology and disease, the potential of microRNAs in the diagnosis and treatment of disease, and our ability to successfully develop a microRNA-based diagnostic test for brain cancer constitute forward-looking statements for the purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including risks related to: Rosetta's approach to discover and develop novel diagnostics and therapeutic products, which is unproven and may never lead to marketable products; Rosetta's ability to fund and the results of further pre-clinical and clinical trials; Rosetta's ability to obtain, maintain and protect the intellectual property utilized by Rosetta's products; Rosetta's ability to enforce its patents against infringers and to defend its patent portfolio against challenges from third parties; Rosetta's ability to obtain additional funding to support its business activities; Rosetta's dependence on third parties for development, manufacture, marketing, sales, and distribution of products; Rosetta's ability to successfully develop its product candidates, all of which are in early stages of development; Rosetta's ability to obtain regulatory approval for products; competition from others using technology similar to Rosetta's and others developing products for similar uses; Rosetta's dependence on collaborators; and Rosetta's short operating history; as well as those risks more fully discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of Rosetta's Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2006 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, any forward-looking statements represent Rosetta's views only as of the date of this release and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. Rosetta does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements unless required by law.
Contact:
Media
Ron Kamienchick
T: +1-646-509-1893
media@rosettagenomics.com
Investors
Juliane Snowden
T: +1-212-213-0006
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Avastin/Cpt-11 MRI showing Improvement
On a personal note today I would like to mention that my fathers MRI showed that their was improvement in the size of his tumor. He's only had two treatments of the Avastin/CPT-11 combo so yesterday was a very positive day! Clinically he's pretty weak(two days in the hospital getting fluids) but he's eating well and we are hopeful that we'll see further strength improvements.
Researchers Uncover an Error in Immature Brain Cells....
National Cancer Institute (NCI)National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Embargoed for ReleaseMonday, January 7, 200812:00 p.m. EST
Contact:NCI Media Relations Branch301-496-6641
Researchers Uncover an Error in Immature Brain Cells in Lab and Animal Studies that May Promote the Growth of Some Brain Tumors
In experiments done in lab and animal studies, a breakdown in proper cell development has been shown to cause brain-specific stem cells to become starter seeds for aggressive brain tumors called glioblastoma multiforme, according to research from a team of researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Institute of Neurological Disease and Stroke (NINDS), parts of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
This developmental breakdown is caused by an error in methylation, one of the cell's primary methods of controlling the extent to which genes are expressed. In laboratory studies and animal models of brain cancer, reversing this error repaired the breakdown, restoring the normal neural cell development pathway. The findings, which appear in the January 2008, issue of Cancer Cell, could increase basic understanding of brain tumor biology and lead to the development of targeted therapies for brain cancer.
"The discovery of a link between tumor stem-like cells and expression control is both novel and exciting," said NCI Director John Niederhuber, M.D. "These results bring new clarity to how all aspects of the genome's function, regulation, and structure can be perturbed in the development of cancer."
Many researchers have come to believe that the activity of a small group of stem-like tumor starter cells, or tumor-initiating cells with stem-like properties (TICs) may be one of the main reasons that cancer develops. Like normal stem cells, TICs are able to self-renew; unlike stem cells , TICs give rise to cells that develop into tumors, instead of differentiating into normal tissue. TICs have been reportedly found in tumors in a number of organs, including the breast, colon, lung, and brain.
Because normal stem cells and TICs are similar in some ways and dissimilar in others, a research team led by Howard Fine, M.D., chief of the Neuro-Oncology Branch at NCI's Center for Cancer Research, set out to identify what biological pathways are altered in these starter cells that enable them to give rise to tumor cells. Harvesting TICs from glioblastoma multiforme patients, the Fine team developed a human cell called 0308 that did not respond normally to environmental cues — specifically, exposure to two proteins, called bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2) and ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) — that cause normal neuronal stem cells to begin differentiating. Rather, they responded to these cues much like very immature neuronal stem cells in that they grew in response to BMP2 and were unresponsive to CNTF, suggesting that the 0308 starter cells were somehow locked in a very early stage of development.
Because the response to BMP2 in normal stem cells is linked to the presence of particular BMP receptors, which are present during specific developmental stages, Fine and his colleagues compared the expression of genes for BMP receptors in 0308 with what occurs in normal neuronal stem cells. The researchers found that the gene for one receptor, BMPR1B, was almost completely silent in 0308 cells. Experimentally reactivating this gene in the 0308 line caused the cells to respond more normally to environmental cues and reduced their potential for tumor development.
Subsequently, the Fine group determined that BMPR1B expression in 0308 cells was blocked via methylation, a chemical modification used by the cell to control gene expression. A methylated gene cannot be expressed and is rendered silent. Methylation-associated silencing of tumor suppressor genes has been found in several cancers.
Interestingly, methylation has also been identified as a key mechanism for the control of proper cellular development in the early brain, and particularly for the differentiation of neuronal stem cells. Again, experimentally demethylating 0308 cells caused them to behave more normally. The results mimicked those seen when early normal embryonic neuronal stem cells are demethylated, adding further weight to the argument that the 0308 cells were locked in a developmentally immature state.
To put these findings into clinical context, Fine and his group then examined a set of 54 glioblastoma multiforme tumors, finding that in about 20 percent of tumors, BMPR1B expression was greatly reduced; in the majority of these tumors the gene for BMPR1B was heavily methylated. These tumors also displayed the same markers of stalled differentiation found in 0308 cells.
"This research highlights an example of a stem cell whose normal development has been blocked in such a way as to both prevent it from differentiating and force it to contribute to the development of an aggressive tumor," said Fine. "The results we have generated can help us better understand the biology of neuronal stem-like starter cells in glioblastoma multiforme and other cancers, and give us a strong rationale for investigating BMPR1B as a potential target for therapeutic development."
For patients and health professionals with specific clinical or scientific questions regarding brain tumors, please visit the NCI's Neuro-Oncology branch Web site at http://home.ccr.cancer.gov/nob/ or call the Neuro-Oncology Branch at (301) 402-6383.
For more information on Dr. Fine's laboratory, please go to http://ccr.cancer.gov/staff/staff.asp?profileid=5635.
For more information about cancer, please visit the NCI Web site at http://www.cancer.gov/, or call NCI's Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237).
For clinical trials and other information about brain tumors, please visit the NINDS Web site at http://www.ninds.nih.gov/.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nation's Medical Research Agency — includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov/.
Reference:Lee J, Son MJ, Woolard K, Donin NM, Li A, Cheng CH, Kotliarova S, Kotliarov Y, Walling J, Ahn S, Kim M, Totnchy M, Cusack T, Ene C, Ma H, Su Q, Zenklusen JC, Zhang W, Maric D, and Fine HA. Epigenetic-mediated dysfunction of the bone morphogenetic protein pathway inhibits differentiation of glioblastoma-initiating cells. Cancer Cell, January 8, 2008, Vol. 13, No. 1.
Some Immature Brain Cells May Promote Tumors
But animal studies show cancer gene can be turned on and off
Posted 1/7/08
MONDAY, Jan. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Much like a child who becomes a bully while his peers are becoming thoughtful and kind, some immature brain cells go through an alteration in their development that allows them to grow into cancerous tissue, a new study finds.
TransMolecular Receives Orphan Drug Designation for Non-radiolabeled TM601 for the Treatment of Malignant Glioma
Posted on: 01/07/2008
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--TransMolecular, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on targeted therapies for cancer, today announced that the FDA has granted Orphan Drug Designation for the non-radiolabeled version of its anti-cancer compound TM601, which is currently entering clinical trials for the treatment of malignant glioma. The company had previously received Orphan designation for the radiolabeled version, 131I-TM601, which recently completed patient enrollment in a Phase 2 clinical trial in glioma and a Phase 1 trial in multiple tumor types.
“We are pleased to receive orphan drug status for TM601 in malignant glioma,” stated Michael Egan, President and Chief Executive Officer of TransMolecular. “The TM601 platform has performed very well in recent Phase 1 and 2 clinical trials, showing specific tumor targeting in both primary and metastatic disease of multiple tumor types. This adds to a strong clinical rationale supporting its therapeutic promise, and we look forward to initiating Phase 1 clinical trials with the non-radiolabeled form of this drug candidate in malignant glioma. This designation is part of TransMolecular’s strategy to advance this program so that patients with this poor-prognosis disease may eventually have a new treatment option available to them.”
Worth A Thousand Words: Researchers Paint Picture Of Cancer-promoting Culprit
ScienceDaily (2008-01-04) -- They say that a picture can be worth a thousand words. This especially is true for describing the structures of molecules that function to promote cancer. Researchers have now built a three-dimensional picture of an enzyme often mutated in many types of cancers. The results, published in Science, suggest how the most common mutations in this enzyme might lead to cancer progression.
France Issues Cell Phone Warning in Face of Possible Cancer Risk
The French government is warning consumers to avoid “excessive” cell phone use because of concerns that mobile phone use could increase the risk of some cancers. The French Ministry of Health, Youth and Sports said in a statement that it was particularly concerned that children who use cell phones face the most danger from the devices.
Protox announces positive final results from BPH study
VANCOUVER, Jan. 3, 2008 (Canada NewsWire via COMTEX) -- Protox(TM: 106.61, +0.15, +0.14%) Therapeutics Inc. (TSX-V: PRX), a leader in advancing novel, targeted protein toxin therapeutics for the treatment of cancer and other proliferative diseases, today announced positive final results from its Phase 1 study evaluating PRX302 in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH: 12.51, -0.01, -0.07%), a common condition among the aging male population. The trial results indicate that PRX302 is safe and well tolerated and shows very promising signs of therapeutic activity for the treatment of BPH.
PhytoMedical's Anti-Cancer Compound Effective at Killing Brain Cancer Cells
PRINCETON, N.J., Jan 03, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- PhytoMedical Technologies, Inc. (OTCBB:PYTO) (FWB:ET6), today announced that research outcomes from ongoing in vitro studies of the Company's sponsored anti-cancer compounds have successfully demonstrated the ability to kill a strain of human brain cancer cells which is otherwise highly-resistant to currently available drugs.
Language Centers Revealed, Brain Surgery Refined With New Mapping
ScienceDaily (Jan. 2, 2008) — Neurosurgeons from the University of California, San Francisco are reporting significant results of a new brain mapping technique that allows for the safe removal of tumors near language pathways in the brain. The technique minimizes brain exposure and reduces the amount of time a patient must be awake during surgery.
Request For Information: Hiccups
This is more of a request than an informative post. Recently my father has been experiencing non-stop hiccups. He's currently taking decadron(tapering) and CPT-11/Avastin combo. The hiccups have only recently appeared. They seem to coincide with the chemo but we really have no definitive answer. If anyone has any info regarding hiccups in brain tumor patients please leave me a note in the comment section following this post.
Thanks In Advance
New Treatment Suitable For All Patients With Least Treatable Brain Tumors, Study Suggests
ScienceDaily (2008-01-01) -- A three-drug cocktail may one day improve outcomes in patients with glioblastoma multiforme, a scientists are working on the third -- all targeted to kill or impair cancer cells and spare healthy brain.
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