WorldWideScience

Sample records for cancer therapy abstracts

  1. Photodynamic Therapy for Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... et al. Photodynamic therapy. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 1998; 90(12):889–905. [PubMed Abstract] Gudgin Dickson EF, Goyan RL, Pottier RH. New directions in photodynamic therapy. Cellular and Molecular Biology 2002; 48(8):939–954. [PubMed Abstract] Capella ...

  2. Novel Targeted Therapies for Inflammatory Breast Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-10-01

    AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-16-1-0461 TITLE: Novel Targeted Therapies for Inflammatory Breast Cancer PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Jose Silva CONTRACTING...CONTRACT NUMBER Novel Targeted Therapies for Inflammatory Breast Cancer 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-16-1-0461 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) l 5d...NOTES 14. ABSTRACT Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC, ~5% of all breast cancers ) is the most lethal form of breast cancer , presenting a 5- year

  3. Postoperative adjuvant therapy of breast cancer. Oncology Overview

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1984-12-01

    Oncology Overviews are a service of the International Cancer Research Data Bank (ICRDB) Program of the National Cancer Institute, intended to facilitate and promote the exchange of information between cancer scientists by keeping them aware of literature related to their research being published by other laboratories throughout the world. Each Oncology Overview represents a survey of the literature associated with a selected area of cancer research. It contains abstracts of articles which have been selected and organized by researchers associated with the field. Contents: Postoperative chemotherapy; Postoperative radiotherapy; Postoperative hormone therapy; Postoperative immunotherapy and chemoimmunotherapy; Postoperative multimodal therapy; Prognostic factors in postoperative adjuvant therapy

  4. Immune Response Augmentation in Metastasized Breast Cancer by Localized Therapy Utilizing Biocompatible Magnetic Fluids

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-08-01

    SUBJECT TERMS Cancer therapy by localized immune response, Magneto -rehological Fluids 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT...Metastasized Breast Cancer by Localized Therapy utilizing Biocompatible Magnetic Fluids PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Cahit Evrensel...2008 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Immune Response Augmentation in Metastasized Breast Cancer by Localized Therapy utilizing

  5. Principles of management of recurrence of breast cancer after tamoxifen therapy (abstract)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rasool, I.

    1999-01-01

    The management of recurrence of breast cancer after Tamoxifen therapy needs special attention. The recurrence can be local or distant. The patient, should be thoroughly investigated to find out exact sites of recurrences. Local recurrence is managed by excision, skin grafting or various types of flaps. If extensive radiation is administrated or if not given previously. The distant recurrence in patients who have had adjuvant menopausal status, sites of recurrence while life threatening or not and previous response. The patients who are post menopausal have responded to previous Tamoxifen therapy, long DFI and soft tissues and bony metastasis are best managed by Aromatase inhibitors i.e. Letrozole. (author)

  6. Adoptive T cell therapy: Addressing challenges in cancer immunotherapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yee Cassian

    2005-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Adoptive T cell therapy involves the ex vivo selection and expansion of effector cells for the treatment of patients with cancer. In this review, the advantages and limitations of using antigen-specific T cells are discussed in counterpoint to vaccine strategies. Although vaccination strategies represent more readily available reagents, adoptive T cell therapy provides highly selected T cells of defined phenotype, specificity and function that may influence their biological behavior in vivo. Adoptive T cell therapy offers not only translational opportunities but also a means to address fundamental issues in the evolving field of cancer immunotherapy.

  7. Metastatic gastric cancer – focus on targeted therapies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meza-Junco J

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Judith Meza-Junco, Michael B SawyerDepartment of Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, Alberta, CanadaAbstract: Gastric cancer (GC is currently the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide; unfortunately, most patients will present with locally advanced or metastatic disease. Despite recent progress in diagnosis, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, prognosis remains poor. A better understanding of GC biology and signaling pathways is expected to improve GC therapy, and the integration of targeted therapies has recently become possible and appears to be promising. This article focuses on anti-Her-2 therapy, specifically trastuzumab, as well as other epidermal growth factor receptor antagonists such as cetuximab, panitumub, matuzumab, nimotzumab, gefitinib, and erlotinib. Additionally, drugs that target angiogenesis pathways are also under investigation, particulary bevacizumab, ramucirumab, sorafenib, sunitinib, and cediranib. Other targeted agents in preclinical or early clinical development include mTOR inhibitors, anti c-MET, polo-like kinase 1 inhibitors, anti-insulin-like growth factor, anti-heat shock proteins, and small molecules targeting Hedgehog signaling.Keywords: gastric cancer, targeted therapy, antiangiogenesis drugs, anti-EGFR drugs

  8. Individualized therapies in colorectal cancer: KRAS as a marker for response to EGFR-targeted therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Kuiyuan

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Individualized therapies that are tailored to a patient's genetic composition will be of tremendous value for treatment of cancer. Recently, Kirsten ras (KRAS status has emerged as a predictor of response to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR targeted therapies. In this article, we will discuss targeted therapies for colorectal cancers (CRC based on EGFR signaling pathway and review published data about the potential usefulness of KRAS as a biological marker for response to these therapies. Results from relevant studies published since 2005 and unpublished results presented at national meetings were retrieved and summarized. These studies reflected response (or lack of response to EGFR-targeted therapies in patients with metastatic CRC as a function of KRAS status. It has become clear that patients with colorectal cancer whose tumor has an activating mutation in KRAS do not respond to monoclonal antibody therapies targeting EGFR. It should now become a standard practice that any patients being considered for EGFR targeted therapies have their tumors tested for KRAS status and only those with wild-type KRAS being offered such therapies.

  9. Antiangiogenic therapy for breast cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, D.L.; Andersson, M.; Andersen, Jon Alexander Lykkegaard

    2010-01-01

    and optimal use of these agents for the treatment of breast cancer. Currently, the most promising approach has been the use of bevacizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody directed against the most potent pro-angiogenic factor, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Small molecular inhibitors of VEGF...... tyrosine kinase activity, such as sorafenib, appear promising. While, the role of sunitinib and inhibitors of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in breast cancer has to be defined. Several unanswered questions remain, such as choice of drug(s), optimal duration of therapy and patient selection criteria......ABSTRACT: Angiogenesis is an important component of cancer growth, invasion and metastasis. Therefore, inhibition of angiogenesis is an attractive strategy for treatment of cancer. We describe existing clinical trials of antiangiogenic agents and the challenges facing the clinical development...

  10. Androgens as therapy for androgen receptor-positive castration-resistant prostate cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lin Hui-Ping

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed non-cutaneous tumor of men in Western countries. While surgery is often successful for organ-confined prostate cancer, androgen ablation therapy is the primary treatment for metastatic prostate cancer. However, this therapy is associated with several undesired side-effects, including increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Shortening the period of androgen ablation therapy may benefit prostate cancer patients. Intermittent Androgen Deprivation therapy improves quality of life, reduces toxicity and medical costs, and delays disease progression in some patients. Cell culture and xenograft studies using androgen receptor (AR-positive castration-resistant human prostate cancers cells (LNCaP, ARCaP, and PC-3 cells over-expressing AR suggest that androgens may suppress the growth of AR-rich prostate cancer cells. Androgens cause growth inhibition and G1 cell cycle arrest in these cells by regulating c-Myc, Skp2, and p27Kip via AR. Higher dosages of testosterone cause greater growth inhibition of relapsed tumors. Manipulating androgen/AR signaling may therefore be a potential therapy for AR-positive advanced prostate cancer.

  11. Personalized therapies in the cancer "omics" era

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pandiella Atanasio

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract A molecular hallmark of cancer is the presence of genetic alterations in the tumoral DNA. Understanding how these alterations translate into the malignant phenotype is critical for the adequate treatment of oncologic diseases. Several cancer genome sequencing reports have uncovered the number and identity of proteins and pathways frequently altered in cancer. In this article we discuss how integration of these genomic data with other biological and proteomic studies may help in designing anticancer therapies "a la carte". An important conclusion is that next generation treatment of neoplasias must be based on rational drug combinations that target various pathways and cellular entities that sustain the survival of cancer cells.

  12. Tumor biology and cancer therapy – an evolving relationship

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lother Ulrike

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The aim of palliative chemotherapy is to increase survival whilst maintaining maximum quality of life for the individual concerned. Although we are still continuing to explore the optimum use of traditional chemotherapy agents, the introduction of targeted therapies has significantly broadened the therapeutic options. Interestingly, the results from current trials put the underlying biological concept often into a new, less favorable perspective. Recent data suggested that altered pathways underlie cancer, and not just altered genes. Thus, an effective therapeutic agent will sometimes have to target downstream parts of a signaling pathway or physiological effects rather than individual genes. In addition, over the past few years increasing evidence has suggested that solid tumors represent a very heterogeneous group of cells with different susceptibility to cancer therapy. Thus, since therapeutic concepts and pathophysiological understanding are continuously evolving a combination of current concepts in tumor therapy and tumor biology is needed. This review aims to present current problems of cancer therapy by highlighting exemplary results from recent clinical trials with colorectal and pancreatic cancer patients and to discuss the current understanding of the underlying reasons.

  13. Nanomedicine and cancer therapies

    CERN Document Server

    Sebastian, Mathew; Ninan, Neethu

    2012-01-01

    Nanotechnology has the power to radically change the way cancer is diagnosed, imaged, and treated. The holistic approach to cancer involves noninvasive procedures that emphasize restoring the health of human energy fields. Presenting a wealth of information and research about the most potent cancer healing therapies, this forward-thinking book explores how nanomedicine, holistic medicine, and other cancer therapies play important roles in treatment of this disease. Topics include nanobiotechnology for antibacterial therapy and diagnosis, mitochondrial dysfunction and cancer, antioxidants and combinatorial therapies, and optical and mechanical investigations of nanostructures for biomolecular detection.

  14. Palliative therapy in adults with cancer: a cross-sectional study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angelita Visentin

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: To characterize the socioeconomic and clinical profile of adult cancer patients in palliative therapy. Method: Cross-sectional study in an oncology hospital in Paraná, with 124 adult patients who started palliative therapy in the period from Jan. 2 to June 30, 2015. Results: Of the participating population, 60.5% were women, 68.5% white, 48.4% married, 72.6% catholic and with income of one to two minimum wages. Non-smokers, 45.2%, non-alcoholics 75%, and 92% had Performance Status 1 and 2. The predominant primary diagnosis was breast cancer, with previous chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The sites of metastasis were lung/mediastinum/bronchi and lymph nodes. Conclusion: The socioeconomic and clinical context characterized the profile of adult patients in palliative therapy. The demand arising from the increase in cases of advanced cancer requires nursing care at all stages of treatment.

  15. New clinical developments in histone deacetylase inhibitors for epigenetic therapy of cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ma Yuehua

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract DNA methylation and histone acetylation are two well known epigenetic chromatin modifications. Epigenetic agents leading to DNA hypomethylation and histone hyperacetylation have been approved for treatment of hematological disorders. The first histone deacetylase inhibitor, vorinostat, has been licensed for cutaneous T cell lymphoma treatment. More than 11 new epigenetic agents are in various stages of clinical development for therapy of multiple cancer types. In this review we summarize novel histone deacetylase inhibitors and new regimens from clinical trials for epigenetic therapy of cancer.

  16. Improvement of different vaccine delivery systems for cancer therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Safaiyan Shima

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Cancer vaccines are the promising tools in the hands of the clinical oncologist. Many tumor-associated antigens are excellent targets for immune therapy and vaccine design. Optimally designed cancer vaccines should combine the best tumor antigens with the most effective immunotherapy agents and/or delivery strategies to achieve positive clinical results. Various vaccine delivery systems such as different routes of immunization and physical/chemical delivery methods have been used in cancer therapy with the goal to induce immunity against tumor-associated antigens. Two basic delivery approaches including physical delivery to achieve higher levels of antigen production and formulation with microparticles to target antigen-presenting cells (APCs have demonstrated to be effective in animal models. New developments in vaccine delivery systems will improve the efficiency of clinical trials in the near future. Among them, nanoparticles (NPs such as dendrimers, polymeric NPs, metallic NPs, magnetic NPs and quantum dots have emerged as effective vaccine adjuvants for infectious diseases and cancer therapy. Furthermore, cell-penetrating peptides (CPP have been known as attractive carrier having applications in drug delivery, gene transfer and DNA vaccination. This review will focus on the utilization of different vaccine delivery systems for prevention or treatment of cancer. We will discuss their clinical applications and the future prospects for cancer vaccine development.

  17. New perspectives on targeted therapy in ovarian cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Coward JIG

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Jermaine IG Coward,1–3 Kathryn Middleton,1 Felicity Murphy1 1Mater Health Services, Raymond Terrace, South Brisbane, QLD, Australia; 2Inflammtion and Cancer Therapeutics Group, Mater Research, University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, QLD, Australia; 3School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia Abstract: Epithelial ovarian cancer remains the most lethal gynecologic malignancy. During the last 15 years, there has been only marginal improvement in 5 year overall survival. These daunting statistics are compounded by the fact that despite all subtypes exhibiting striking heterogeneity, their systemic management remains identical. Although changes to the scheduling and administration of chemotherapy have improved outcomes to a degree, a therapeutic ceiling is being reached with this approach, resulting in a number of trials investigating the efficacy of targeted therapies alongside standard treatment algorithms. Furthermore, there is an urge to develop subtype-specific studies in an attempt to improve outcomes, which currently remain poor. This review summarizes the key studies with antiangiogenic agents, poly(adenosine diphosphate [ADP]-ribose inhibitors, and epidermal growth factor receptor/human epidermal growth factor receptor family targeting, in addition to folate receptor antagonists and insulin growth factor receptor inhibitors. The efficacy of treatment paradigms used in non-ovarian malignancies for type I tumors is also highlighted, in addition to recent advances in appropriate patient stratification for targeted therapies in epithelial ovarian cancer. Keywords: antiangiogenic therapy, high-grade serous, low grade ovarian cancer, PARP inhibition, cancer-related inflammation

  18. Radiation therapy for prostate cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakamura, Katsumasa

    2001-01-01

    In Japan, where the mortality rate of prostate cancer is lower than in Western countries, radical prostatectomy or hormonal therapy has been applied more frequently than radiation therapy. However, the number of patients with prostate cancer has been increasing recently and the importance of radiation therapy has rapidly been recognized. Although there have been no randomized trials, results from several institutions in Western countries suggest that similar results of cancer control are achieved with either radiation therapy or radical prostatectomy. For higher-risk cases, conformal high-dose therapy or adjuvant hormonal therapy is more appropriate. In this article, the results of radiation therapy for prostate cancer were reviewed, with a view to the appropriate choice of therapy in Japan. (author)

  19. A balanced review of the status T cell-based therapy against cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marincola Francesco M

    2005-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract A recent commentary stirred intense controversy over the status of anti-cancer immunotherapy. The commentary suggested moving beyond current anti-cancer vaccines since active-specific immunization failed to match expectations toward a more aggressive approach involving the adoptive transfer of in vitro expanded tumor antigen-specific T cells. Although the same authors clarified their position in response to others' rebuttal more discussion needs to be devoted to the current status of T cell-based anti-cancer therapy. The accompanying publications review the status of adoptive transfer of cancer vaccines on one hand and active-specific immunization on the other. Hopefully, reading these articles will offer a balanced view of the current status of antigen-specific ant-cancer therapies and suggest future strategies to foster unified efforts to complement either approach with the other according to specific biological principles.

  20. A current perspective on stereotactic body radiation therapy for pancreatic cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hong JC

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Julian C Hong, Brian G Czito, Christopher G Willett, Manisha Palta Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA Abstract: Pancreatic cancer is a formidable malignancy with poor outcomes. The majority of patients are unable to undergo resection, which remains the only potentially curative treatment option. The management of locally advanced (unresectable pancreatic cancer is controversial; however, treatment with either chemotherapy or chemoradiation is associated with high rates of local tumor progression and metastases development, resulting in low survival rates. An emerging local modality is stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT, which uses image-guided, conformal, high-dose radiation. SBRT has demonstrated promising local control rates and resultant quality of life with acceptable rates of toxicity. Over the past decade, increasing clinical experience and data have supported SBRT as a local treatment modality. Nevertheless, additional research is required to further evaluate the role of SBRT and improve upon the persistently poor outcomes associated with pancreatic cancer. This review discusses the existing clinical experience and technical implementation of SBRT for pancreatic cancer and highlights the directions for ongoing and future studies. Keywords: pancreatic cancer, stereotactic body radiation therapy, SBRT, radiation therapy

  1. A possible usage of a CDK4 inhibitor for breast cancer stem cell-targeted therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Han, Yu Kyeong; Lee, Jae Ho; Park, Ga-Young; Chun, Sung Hak; Han, Jeong Yun; Kim, Sung Dae; Lee, Janet; Lee, Chang-Woo; Yang, Kwangmo; Lee, Chang Geun

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► A CDK4 inhibitor may be used for breast cancer stem cell-targeted therapy. ► The CDK4 inhibitor differentiated the cancer stem cell population (CD24 − /CD44 + ) of MDA-MB-231. ► The differentiation of the cancer stem cells by the CDK4 inhibitor radiosensitized MDA-MB-231. -- Abstract: Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are one of the main reasons behind cancer recurrence due to their resistance to conventional anti-cancer therapies. Thus, many efforts are being devoted to developing CSC-targeted therapies to overcome the resistance of CSCs to conventional anti-cancer therapies and decrease cancer recurrence. Differentiation therapy is one potential approach to achieve CSC-targeted therapies. This method involves inducing immature cancer cells with stem cell characteristics into more mature or differentiated cancer cells. In this study, we found that a CDK4 inhibitor sensitized MDA-MB-231 cells but not MCF7 cells to irradiation. This difference appeared to be associated with the relative percentage of CSC-population between the two breast cancer cells. The CDK4 inhibitor induced differentiation and reduced the cancer stem cell activity of MDA-MB-231 cells, which are shown by multiple marker or phenotypes of CSCs. Thus, these results suggest that radiosensitization effects may be caused by reducing the CSC-population of MDA-MB-231 through the use of the CDK4 inhibitor. Thus, further investigations into the possible application of the CDK4 inhibitor for CSC-targeted therapy should be performed to enhance the efficacy of radiotherapy for breast cancer

  2. Urothelial cancers following radiation therapy for cervical cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakata, Seiji; Hasumi, Masaru; Sato, Jin; Mayuzumi, Takuji; Kumasaka, Fuminari; Shimizu, Toshihiro.

    1996-01-01

    Some reports have indicated that bladder cancer is induced by radiation therapy for cervical cancer. We encountered 6 cases of urothelial cancer (5 cases of bladder cancer and 1 case of ureter cancer) following radiation therapy for cervical cancer. Age at the time of diagnosis of cervical cancer ranged from 38 to 66 years, and the average was 51.2±11.0 (S.D.) years old. Age at the time of diagnosis of urothelial cancer ranged from 53 to 83 years, and the average was 67.5±10.3 years old. The interval between the diagnosis of cervical cancer and urothelial cancer ranged from 3 to 25 years, averaging 16.3 years. It is impossible to evaluate the risk of development of urothelial cancer after radiation therapy based on our data. However, it is important to make an effort to diagnose urothelial cancer at an early stage by educating patients (e.g., advising regular urine tests) after the follow-up period to cervical cancer. (author)

  3. Effectiveness of Mindfulness-based Therapy for Reducing Anxiety and Depression in Patients With Cancer

    OpenAIRE

    Zhang, Mei-Fen; Wen, Yong-Shan; Liu, Wei-Yan; Peng, Li-Fen; Wu, Xiao-Dan; Liu, Qian-Wen

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Anxiety and depression are common among patients with cancer, and are often treated with psychological interventions including mindfulness-based therapy. The aim of the study was to perform a meta-analysis of the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for improving anxiety and depression in patients with cancer. Medline, the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and Google Scholar were searched. The randomized controlled trials designed for patients diagnosed with cancer were included....

  4. Cryogen therapy of skin cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zikiryakhodjaev, D.Z.; Sanginov, D.R.

    2001-01-01

    In this chapter authors studied the cure of skin cancer in particular cryogen therapy of skin cancer. They noted that cryogen therapy of skin cancer carried new possibilities and improved results of neoplasms treatment

  5. Sports Physical Therapy Section Poster Presentations (Abstracts SPO1-SPO166).

    Science.gov (United States)

    2018-01-01

    These abstracts are presented here as prepared by the authors. The accuracy and content of each abstract remain the responsibility of the authors. In the identification number above each abstract, SPO designates a Sports Physical Therapy Section poster presentation. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2018;48(1):A203-A276. doi:10.2519/jospt.2018.48.1.A203.

  6. Stereotactic body radiation therapy versus conventional radiation therapy in patients with early stage non-small cell lung cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jeppesen, Stefan Starup; Schytte, Tine; Jensen, Henrik R

    2013-01-01

    Abstract Introduction. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is now an accepted and patient friendly treatment, but still controversy exists about its comparability to conventional radiation therapy (RT). The purpose of this single...... and SBRT predicted improved prognosis. However, staging procedure, confirmation procedure of recurrence and technical improvements of radiation treatment is likely to influence outcomes. However, SBRT seems to be as efficient as conventional RT and is a more convenient treatment for the patients....

  7. Cancer nanomedicine: gold nanoparticle mediated combined cancer therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, C.; Bromma, Kyle; Chithrani, B. D.

    2018-02-01

    Recent developments in nanotechnology has provided new tools for cancer therapy and diagnosis. Among other nanomaterial systems, gold nanoparticles are being used as radiation dose enhancers and anticancer drug carriers in cancer therapy. Fate of gold nanoparticles within biological tissues can be probed using techniques such as TEM (transmission electron microscopy) and SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) due to their high electron density. We have shown for the first time that cancer drug loaded gold nanoparticles can reach the nucleus (or the brain) of cancer cells enhancing the therapeutic effect dramatically. Nucleus of the cancer cells are the most desirable target in cancer therapy. In chemotherapy, smart delivery of highly toxic anticancer drugs through packaging using nanoparticles will reduce the side effects and improve the quality and care of cancer patients. In radiation therapy, use of gold nanoparticles as radiation dose enhancer is very promising due to enhanced localized dose within the cancer tissue. Recent advancement in nanomaterial characterization techniques will facilitate mapping of nanomaterial distribution within biological specimens to correlate the radiobiological effects due to treatment. Hence, gold nanoparticle mediated combined chemoradiation would provide promising tools to achieve personalized and tailored cancer treatments in the near future.

  8. Fluconazole for empiric antifungal therapy in cancer patients with fever and neutropenia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peterson Josh F

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Several clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of fluconazole as empiric antifungal therapy in cancer patients with fever and neutropenia. Our objective was to assess the frequency and resource utilization associated with treatment failure in cancer patients given empiric fluconazole antifungal therapy in routine inpatient care. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study of cancer patients treated with oral or intravenous fluconazole between 7/97 and 6/01 in a tertiary care hospital. The final study cohort included cancer patients with neutropenia (an absolute neutrophil count below 500 cells/mm3 and fever (a temperature above 38°C or 100.4°F, who were receiving at least 96 hours of parenteral antibacterial therapy prior to initiating fluconazole. Patients' responses to empiric therapy were assessed by reviewing patient charts. Results Among 103 cancer admissions with fever and neutropenia, treatment failure after initiating empiric fluconazole antifungal therapy occurred in 41% (95% confidence interval (CI 31% – 50% of admissions. Patients with a diagnosis of hematological malignancy had increased risk of treatment failure (OR = 4.6, 95% CI 1.5 – 14.8. When treatment failure occurred the mean adjusted increases in length of stay and total costs were 7.4 days (95% CI 3.3 – 11.5 and $18,925 (95% CI 3,289 – 34,563, respectively. Conclusion Treatment failure occurred in more than one-third of neutropenic cancer patients on fluconazole as empiric antifungal treatment for fever in routine clinical treatment. The increase in costs when treatment failure occurs is substantial.

  9. Summary of the primer on tumor immunology and the biological therapy of cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Margolin Kim

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The International Society for Biological Therapy of Cancer (iSBTc is one of the "premier destinations for interaction and innovation in the cancer biologics community". It provides a primer course each year during the annual meeting to address the most important areas of tumor immunology and immunotherapy. The course has been given by prominent investigators in the area of interest, covering the core principles of cancer immunology and immunotherapy. The target audience for this program includes investigators from academic, regulatory, and biopharmaceutical venues. The program goal is to enable the attendees to learn the current status and the most recent advances in biologic therapies, and to leverage this knowledge towards the improvement of cancer therapy. The 2008 immunologic primer course was held on October 30 at the 23rd Annual meeting of iSBTc in San Diego, CA. Nine internationally renowned investigators gave excellent presentations on different topics. The topics covered in this primer included: (1 cytokines in cancer immunology; (2 anti-angiogenic therapy; (3 end stage: immune killing of tumors; (4 blocking T cell checkpoints; (5 approach to identification and therapeutic exploitation of tumor antigens; (6 T regulatory cells; (7 adoptive T cell therapy; (8 immune monitoring of cancer immunotherapy; and (9 immune adjuvants. We summarized the topics in this primer for public education. The related topic slides and schedule can be accessed online http://www.isbtc.org/meetings/am08/primer08.

  10. Clinical targeting recombinant immunotoxins for cancer therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li M

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Meng Li,1,* Zeng-Shan Liu,1,* Xi-Lin Liu,1,* Qi Hui,2,* Shi-Ying Lu,1 Lin-Lin Qu,1 Yan-Song Li,1 Yu Zhou,1 Hong-Lin Ren,1 Pan Hu1 1Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, Institute of Zoonosis, College of Veterinary Medicine, China-Japan Union Hospital, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, 2School of Pharmacy, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Recombinant immunotoxins (RITs are proteins that contain a toxin fused to an antibody or small molecules and are constructed by the genetic engineering technique. RITs can bind to and be internalized by cells and kill cancerous or non-cancerous cells by inhibiting protein synthesis. A wide variety of RITs have been tested against different cancers in cell culture, xenograft models, and human patients during the past several decades. RITs have shown activity in therapy of several kinds of cancers, but different levels of side effects, mainly related to vascular leak syndrome, were also observed in the treated patients. High immunogenicity of RITs limited their long-term or repeat applications in clinical cases. Recent advances in the design of immunotoxins, such as humanization of antibody fragment, PEGylation, and modification of human B- and T-cell epitopes, are overcoming the above mentioned problems, which predict the use of these immunotoxins as a potential therapeutic method to treat cancer patients. Keywords: targeted therapy, hematologic malignancies, solid tumors, vascular leak syndrome, immunogenicity 

  11. The detection, diagnosis, therapy, and pre-clinical biology of breast cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1978-01-01

    The Cancergram covers clinical aspects of cancers of the mammary glands, the fat pads and the supporting tissues. Abstracts included concern certain specific types of neoplasms which occur in the breast, and in ancillary tissues related to the breast (axillary lymph nodes, etc.). Also included are selected studies on receptors and the physiological aspects of lactation, pregnancy, and ontogeny related to cancer of the breast. The topic includes clinically relevant aspects of the prevention, detection, diagnosis, evaluation, and therapy of breast cancer. With certain exceptions, pre-clinical studies of tissue culture systems or animal model studies which are not directly related to primary human disease are excluded

  12. Drug design with Cdc7 kinase: a potential novel cancer therapy target

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masaaki Sawa

    2008-11-01

    Full Text Available Masaaki Sawa1, Hisao Masai21Carna Biosciences, Inc., Kobe, Japan; 2Genome Dynamics Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, JapanAbstract: Identification of novel molecular targets is critical in development of new and efficient cancer therapies. Kinases are one of the most common drug targets with a potential for cancer therapy. Cell cycle progression is regulated by a number of kinases, some of which are being developed to treat cancer. Cdc7 is a serine-threonine kinase originally discovered in budding yeast, which has been shown to be necessary to initiate the S phase. Inhibition of Cdc7 in cancer cells retards the progression of the S phase, accumulates DNA damage, and induces p53-independent cell death, but the same treatment in normal cells does not significantly affect viability. Low-molecular-weight compounds that inhibit Cdc7 kinase with an IC50 of less than 10 nM have been identified, and shown to be effective in the inhibition of tumor growth in animal models. Thus Cdc7 kinase can be recognized as a novel molecular target for cancer therapy.Keywords: Cdc7 kinase, cell cycle, replication fork, genome stability, DNA damages, ATP-binding pocket, kinase inhibitor

  13. Proceedings of the international conference on emerging frontiers and challenges in radiation biology: abstracts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Purohit, R.K.; Chakrawarti, Aruna; Agarwal, Manisha; Arora, Anil

    2012-01-01

    This abstract volume includes abstracts related to six technical sessions of the conference viz., Radiation induced genomic instability and bystander effects, Radiation dosimetry and dose limits, Radiation protection and nuclear technology application, Molecular diagnosis and targeted therapy for cancer, cancer care and chemoradiotherapy, health hazards of radiation and protection. Papers relevant to INIS are indexed separately

  14. The calorically restricted ketogenic diet, an effective alternative therapy for malignant brain cancer

    OpenAIRE

    Zhou Weihua; Mukherjee Purna; Kiebish Michael A; Markis William T; Mantis John G; Seyfried Thomas N

    2007-01-01

    Abstract Background Malignant brain cancer persists as a major disease of morbidity and mortality in adults and is the second leading cause of cancer death in children. Many current therapies for malignant brain tumors fail to provide long-term management because they ineffectively target tumor cells while negatively impacting the health and vitality of normal brain cells. In contrast to brain tumor cells, which lack metabolic flexibility and are largely dependent on glucose for growth and su...

  15. Laser therapy for cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000905.htm Laser therapy for cancer To use the sharing features ... Lasers are also used on the skin. How Laser Therapy is Used Laser therapy can be used ...

  16. Radiation Therapy for Lung Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... is almost always due to smoking. TREATING LUNG CANCER Lung cancer treatment depends on several factors, including the ... org TARGETING CANCER CARE Radiation Therapy for Lung Cancer Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in ...

  17. Occupational therapy use by older adults with cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pergolotti, Mackenzi; Cutchin, Malcolm P; Weinberger, Morris; Meyer, Anne-Marie

    2014-01-01

    Occupational therapy may significantly improve cancer survivors' ability to participate in activities, thereby improving quality of life. Little is known, however, about the use of occupational therapy services by adults with cancer. The objective of this study was to understand what shapes patterns of occupational therapy use to help improve service delivery. We examined older (age >65 yr) adults diagnosed with breast, prostate, lung, or melanoma (skin) cancer between 2004 and 2007 (N = 27,131) using North Carolina Central Cancer Registry data linked to Medicare billing claims. Survivors who used occupational therapy within 1 yr before their cancer diagnosis were more likely to use occupational therapy after diagnosis but also experienced the highest levels of comorbidities. Survivors with Stage 4 cancers or lung cancer were less likely to use occupational therapy. These findings suggest possible disparities in utilization of occupational therapy by older adults with cancer. Copyright © 2014 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

  18. Proton beam therapy in non-small cell lung cancer: state of the art

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Harada H

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Hideyuki Harada, Shigeyuki Murayama Radiation and Proton Therapy Center, Shizuoka Cancer Center Hospital, Nagaizumi, Shizuoka, Japan Abstract: This review summarizes the past and present status of proton beam therapy (PBT for lung cancer. PBT has a unique characteristic called the Bragg peak that enables a reduction in the dose of normal tissue around the tumor, but is sensitive to the uncertainties of density changes. The heterogeneity in electron density for thoracic lesions, such as those in the lung and mediastinum, and tumor movement according to respiration necessitates respiratory management for PBT to be applied in lung cancer patients. There are two types of PBT – a passively scattered approach and a scanning approach. Typically, a passively scattered approach is more robust for respiratory movement and a scanning approach could result in a more conformal dose distribution even when the tumor shape is complex. Large tumors of centrally located lung cancer may be more suitably irradiated than with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT or stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT. For a locally advanced lung cancer, PBT can spare the lung and heart more than photon IMRT. However, no randomized controlled trial has reported differences between PBT and IMRT or SBRT for early-stage and locally advanced lung cancers. Therefore, a well-designed controlled trial is warranted. Keywords: proton beam therapy, non-small cell lung cancer, survival, SBRT, IMRT

  19. Cancer suicide gene therapy: a patent review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Navarro, Saúl Abenhamar; Carrillo, Esmeralda; Griñán-Lisón, Carmen; Martín, Ana; Perán, Macarena; Marchal, Juan Antonio; Boulaiz, Houria

    2016-09-01

    Cancer is considered the second leading cause of death worldwide despite the progress made in early detection and advances in classical therapies. Advancing in the fight against cancer requires the development of novel strategies, and the suicide gene transfer to tumor cells is providing new possibilities for cancer therapy. In this manuscript, authors present an overview of suicide gene systems and the latest innovations done to enhance cancer suicide gene therapy strategies by i) improving vectors for targeted gene delivery using tissue specific promoter and receptors; ii) modification of the tropism; and iii) combining suicide genes and/or classical therapies for cancer. Finally, the authors highlight the main challenges to be addressed in the future. Even if many efforts are needed for suicide gene therapy to be a real alternative for cancer treatment, we believe that the significant progress made in the knowledge of cancer biology and characterization of cancer stem cells accompanied by the development of novel targeted vectors will enhance the effectiveness of this type of therapeutic strategy. Moreover, combined with current treatments, suicide gene therapy will improve the clinical outcome of patients with cancer in the future.

  20. Occupational Therapy Use by Older Adults With Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pergolotti, Mackenzi; Cutchin, Malcolm P.; Weinberger, Morris; Meyer, Anne-Marie

    2014-01-01

    Occupational therapy may significantly improve cancer survivors’ ability to participate in activities, thereby improving quality of life. Little is known, however, about the use of occupational therapy services by adults with cancer. The objective of this study was to understand what shapes patterns of occupational therapy use to help improve service delivery. We examined older (age >65 yr) adults diagnosed with breast, prostate, lung, or melanoma (skin) cancer between 2004 and 2007 (N = 27,131) using North Carolina Central Cancer Registry data linked to Medicare billing claims. Survivors who used occupational therapy within 1 yr before their cancer diagnosis were more likely to use occupational therapy after diagnosis but also experienced the highest levels of comorbidities. Survivors with Stage 4 cancers or lung cancer were less likely to use occupational therapy. These findings suggest possible disparities in utilization of occupational therapy by older adults with cancer. PMID:25184473

  1. Chemosensory alterations and cancer therapies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bartoshuk, L.M.

    1990-01-01

    Taste and olfaction provide sensory information and sensory pleasure. Cancer therapies affect both. Chemotherapy has not been shown to produce dramatic losses of taste or smell, but systematic studies on various chemotherapeutic agents and types of cancer are lacking. Radiation therapy does produce clear losses of both taste and smell. Both chemotherapy and radiation therapy alter the pleasure produced by taste and smell through the formation of conditioned aversions. That is, foods consumed in proximity with the nausea of therapy come to be unpleasant. The impact of conditioned aversions can be diminished by providing a scapegoat food just before therapy. Alterations in foods may be beneficial to the cancer patient. Increasing the concentrations of flavor ingredients can compensate for sensory losses, and providing pureed foods that retain the cognitive integrity of a meal can benefit the patient who has chewing or swallowing problems

  2. Hormone therapy and ovarian cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mørch, Lina Steinrud; Løkkegaard, Ellen; Andreasen, Anne Helms

    2009-01-01

    CONTEXT: Studies have suggested an increased risk of ovarian cancer among women taking postmenopausal hormone therapy. Data are sparse on the differential effects of formulations, regimens, and routes of administration. OBJECTIVE: To assess risk of ovarian cancer in perimenopausal and postmenopau......CONTEXT: Studies have suggested an increased risk of ovarian cancer among women taking postmenopausal hormone therapy. Data are sparse on the differential effects of formulations, regimens, and routes of administration. OBJECTIVE: To assess risk of ovarian cancer in perimenopausal...... and postmenopausal women receiving different hormone therapies. DESIGN AND SETTING: Nationwide prospective cohort study including all Danish women aged 50 through 79 years from 1995 through 2005 through individual linkage to Danish national registers. Redeemed prescription data from the National Register...... bands included hormone exposures as time-dependent covariates. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 909,946 women without hormone-sensitive cancer or bilateral oophorectomy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Ovarian cancer. RESULTS: In an average of 8.0 years of follow-up (7.3 million women-years), 3068 incident ovarian...

  3. Antiproton Cancer Therapy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bassler, Niels

    An essential part in cancer radiotherapy, is to direct a sufficiently high dose towards the tumour, without damaging the surrounding tissue. Different techniques such as intensity modulated radiation therapy and proton therapy have been developed, in order to reduce the dose to the normal tissue...

  4. Full-text publication of abstract-presented work in physical therapy: do therapists publish what they preach?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Heather D; Bogenschutz, Elizabeth D; Bayliss, Amy J; Altenburger, Peter A; Warden, Stuart J

    2011-02-01

    Professional meetings, such as the American Physical Therapy Association's (APTA's) Combined Sections Meeting (CSM), provide forums for sharing information relevant to physical therapy. An indicator of whether therapists fully disseminate their work is the number of full-text peer-reviewed publications that result. The purposes of this study were: (1) to determine the full-text publication rate of work presented in abstract form at CSM and (2) to investigate factors influencing this rate. A systematic search was undertaken to locate full-text publications of work presented in abstract form within the Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy sections at CSM between 2000 and 2004. Eligible publications were published within 5 years following abstract presentation. The influences of APTA section, year of abstract presentation, institution of origin, study design, sample size, study significance, reporting of a funding source, and presentation type on full-text publication rate were assessed. Characteristics of full-text publications were explored. Work presented in 1 out of 4 abstracts (25.4%) progressed to full-text publication. Odds of full-text publication increased if the abstract originated from a doctorate-granting or "other" institution, reported findings of an experimental study, reported a statistically significant finding, included a larger sample size, disclosed a funding source, or was presented as a platform presentation. More than one third (37.8%) of full-text publications were published in the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy or Physical Therapy, and 4 out of 10 full-text publications (39.2%) contained at least one major change from information presented in abstract form. The full-text publication rate for information presented in abstract form within the Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy sections at CSM is low relative to comparative disciplines. Caution should be exercised when translating information presented at CSM into

  5. Loco-regional therapy for liver cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    YE Shenglong

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Loco-regional therapy, which uses imaging technologies to facilitate targeted delivery of therapeutic agents to cancers, has emerged as the most commonly used non-surgical treatment for primary liver cancer. Since the theory of loco-regional therapy was introduced, various strategies have been developed and successfully applied in clinic, including interventional radiology methods (mainly transarterial chemoembolization and local ablative methods (such as intratumoral ethanol injection, radiofrequency ablation, microwave coagulation, laser-induced thermal therapy, high-intensity focused ultrasound, and cryotherapy. TACE has been widely applied to treat inoperable liver cancers at intermediate and advanced stages, while the local ablative therapies have proven more suitable for small (<5 cm liver cancers. However, choosing the appropriate loco-regional therapy strategy should be carried out on an individual basis, considering the patient's particular disease condition and characteristics. To help guide such treatment decisions, this review highlights the principal indications, theory, techniques, and reported efficacies of the various loco-regional therapy strategies.

  6. Fertility and cancer therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maguire, L.C.

    1979-01-01

    With increased survival of increasing numbers of cancer patients as a result of therapy, the consequences, early and late, of the therapies must be realized. It is the treating physician's duty to preserve as much reproductive potential as possible for patients, consistent with adequate care. With radiotherapy this means shielding the gonads as much as possible, optimal but not excessive doses and fields, oophoropexy, or sperm collection and storage prior to irradiation. With chemotherapy it means the shortest exposure to drugs consistent with best treatment and prior to therapy the collection and storage of sperm where facilities are available. At present this is still an experimental procedure. Artificial insemination for a couple when the male has received cancer therapy is another alternative. Finally, it is the responsibility of physicians caring for patients with neoplasms to be knowledgeable about these and all other effects of therapy so that patients may be counseled appropriately and understand the implications of therapy for their life

  7. Hormone therapy and different ovarian cancers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mørch, Lina Steinrud; Løkkegaard, Ellen; Andreasen, Anne Helms

    2012-01-01

    Postmenopausal hormone therapy use increases the risk of ovarian cancer. In the present study, the authors examined the risks of different histologic types of ovarian cancer associated with hormone therapy. Using Danish national registers, the authors identified 909,946 women who were followed from...... 1995-2005. The women were 50-79 years of age and had no prior hormone-sensitive cancers or bilateral oophorectomy. Hormone therapy prescription data were obtained from the National Register of Medicinal Product Statistics. The National Cancer and Pathology Register provided data on ovarian cancers......, including information about tumor histology. The authors performed Poisson regression analyses that included hormone exposures and confounders as time-dependent covariates. In an average of 8.0 years of follow up, 2,681 cases of epithelial ovarian cancer were detected. Compared with never users, women...

  8. Radiation therapy for metastatic lesions from breast cancer. Breast cancer metastasis to bone

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hayashi, Shinya; Hoshi, Hiroaki [Gifu Univ. (Japan). School of Medicine

    2000-10-01

    therapy, the neurological effect of this combination is unknown. Early diagnosis and treatment a re therefore most important. The rate of metastases to the skull from breast cancer is high. Metastasis to the base of the skull causes damage to the cranial nerves and gives rise to a variety of clinical manifestations. Radiation therapy is considered to be effective in alleviating such symptoms. Pathologic fractures occur in 10% to 20% of patients with bone metastases, and they are particularly common in patients with osteolytic metastases. Postoperative high-dose multi-fraction irradiation and internal fixation should be considered for the treatment of impending fractures, while local-field irradiation should be used to achieve recalcification. (K.H.)(abstract truncated)

  9. Factors associated with cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer patients undergoing endocrine therapy in an urban setting: a cross-sectional study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huang Xu

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Fatigue is prevalent in breast cancer survivors and has profound effects on daily life. The interference of fatigue with endocrine therapy may be difficult to separate. This study investigates the prevalence and severity of fatigue and identifies the demographic, clinical, and lifestyle factors associated with cancer-related fatigue (CRF in breast cancer patients undergoing endocrine therapy in an urban area. Methods Women with stage I-IIIA breast cancer were recruited and asked to participate (n = 371 in the study. The 315 women who responded to the questionnaire (84.9%, 54 (17.1% had completed endocrine therapy and 261 (82.9% were still undergoing endocrine therapy. The patients had been diagnosed at an average of 31 months prior to recruitment (range, 7 to 60 months; the average age was 48 (range, 33 to 72 years. The 11-point scale and Visual Analog Scale (VAS were employed to quantify the level of fatigue experienced by the patients. Logistic regression analyses and a trend test method were performed to evaluate factors associated with CRF. Results Among the 315 patients, 189 (60% had experienced or were experiencing CRF during endocrine therapy. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with CRF, including BMI (body mass index, clinical stage, menopausal status, duration of endocrine therapy, physical activity, and diet. Factors unrelated to CRF were age, marital status, treatment, endocrine therapy drugs, alcohol intake, and smoking. The trend test method revealed an association between physical activity and dietary level and the intensity of CRF. Conclusions The present findings suggest that fatigue is an important problem in the majority of breast cancer patients during endocrine therapy. We found that BMI, clinical stage, menopausal status, duration of endocrine therapy, physical activity, and diet are associated with fatigue. Future research should focus on the impact factors of CRF

  10. Progress in Gene Therapy for Prostate Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmed, Kamran A.; Davis, Brian J.; Wilson, Torrence M.; Wiseman, Gregory A.; Federspiel, Mark J.; Morris, John C.

    2012-01-01

    Gene therapy has held promise to correct various disease processes. Prostate cancer represents the second leading cause of cancer death in American men. A number of clinical trials involving gene therapy for the treatment of prostate cancer have been reported. The ability to efficiently transduce tumors with effective levels of therapeutic genes has been identified as a fundamental barrier to effective cancer gene therapy. The approach utilizing gene therapy in prostate cancer patients at our institution attempts to address this deficiency. The sodium-iodide symporter (NIS) is responsible for the ability of the thyroid gland to transport and concentrate iodide. The characteristics of the NIS gene suggest that it could represent an ideal therapeutic gene for cancer therapy. Published results from Mayo Clinic researchers have indicated several important successes with the use of the NIS gene and prostate gene therapy. Studies have demonstrated that transfer of the human NIS gene into prostate cancer using adenovirus vectors in vitro and in vivo results in efficient uptake of radioactive iodine and significant tumor growth delay with prolongation of survival. Preclinical successes have culminated in the opening of a phase I trial for patients with advanced prostate disease which is currently accruing patients. Further study will reveal the clinical promise of NIS gene therapy in the treatment of prostate as well as other malignancies.

  11. Progress in Gene Therapy for Prostate Cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ahmed, Kamran A.; Davis, Brian J. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN (United States); Wilson, Torrence M. [Department of Urology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN (United States); Wiseman, Gregory A. [Division of Nuclear Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN (United States); Federspiel, Mark J. [Department of Molecular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN (United States); Morris, John C., E-mail: davis.brian@mayo.edu [Division of Endocrinology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN (United States)

    2012-11-19

    Gene therapy has held promise to correct various disease processes. Prostate cancer represents the second leading cause of cancer death in American men. A number of clinical trials involving gene therapy for the treatment of prostate cancer have been reported. The ability to efficiently transduce tumors with effective levels of therapeutic genes has been identified as a fundamental barrier to effective cancer gene therapy. The approach utilizing gene therapy in prostate cancer patients at our institution attempts to address this deficiency. The sodium-iodide symporter (NIS) is responsible for the ability of the thyroid gland to transport and concentrate iodide. The characteristics of the NIS gene suggest that it could represent an ideal therapeutic gene for cancer therapy. Published results from Mayo Clinic researchers have indicated several important successes with the use of the NIS gene and prostate gene therapy. Studies have demonstrated that transfer of the human NIS gene into prostate cancer using adenovirus vectors in vitro and in vivo results in efficient uptake of radioactive iodine and significant tumor growth delay with prolongation of survival. Preclinical successes have culminated in the opening of a phase I trial for patients with advanced prostate disease which is currently accruing patients. Further study will reveal the clinical promise of NIS gene therapy in the treatment of prostate as well as other malignancies.

  12. Use of black vulture (Coragyps atratus) in complementary and alternative therapies for cancer in Colombia: A qualitative study

    OpenAIRE

    Sánchez-Pedraza Ricardo; Gamba-Rincón Magda R; González-Rangel Andrés L

    2012-01-01

    Abstract Background Although Coragyps atratus has been used as a traditional therapy for patients with cancer, the scientific literature does not contain enough information on how this therapy is used or the mechanisms that explain this therapeutic practice. Objectives To understand the methods of use and the reasons given by patients and caregivers for the use of Coragyps atratus in cancer treatment. Methods This study used a qualitative design based on twenty in-depth interviews of patients...

  13. Senescence induction; a possible cancer therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kondoh Hiroshi

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Cellular immortalization is a crucial step during the development of human cancer. Primary mammalian cells reach replicative exhaustion after several passages in vitro, a process called replicative senescence. During such a state of permanent growth arrest, senescent cells are refractory to physiological proliferation stimuli: they have altered cell morphology and gene expression patterns, although they remain viable with preserved metabolic activity. Interestingly, senescent cells have also been detected in vivo in human tumors, particularly in benign lesions. Senescence is a mechanism that limits cellular lifespan and constitutes a barrier against cellular immortalization. During immortalization, cells acquire genetic alterations that override senescence. Tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes are closely involved in senescence, as their knockdown and ectopic expression confer immortality and senescence induction, respectively. By using high throughput genetic screening to search for genes involved in senescence, several candidate oncogenes and putative tumor suppressor genes have been recently isolated, including subtypes of micro-RNAs. These findings offer new perspectives in the modulation of senescence and open new approaches for cancer therapy.

  14. Adjuvant therapy for locally advanced renal cell cancer: A systematic review with meta-analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lima Carmen SP

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Many adjuvant trials have been undertaken in an attempt to reduce the risk of recurrence among patients who undergo surgical resection for locally advanced renal cancer. However, no clear benefit has been identified to date. This systematic review was conducted to examine the exact role of adjuvant therapy in renal cancer setting. Methods Randomized controlled trials were searched comparing adjuvant therapy (chemotherapy, vaccine, immunotherapy, biochemotherapy versus no active treatment after surgery among renal cell cancer patients. Outcomes were overall survival (OS, disease-free survival (DFS, and severe toxicities. Risk ratios (RR, hazard ratios (HR and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using a fixed-effects meta-analysis. Heterogeneity was measured by I2. Different strategies of adjuvant treatment were evaluated separately. Results Ten studies (2,609 patients were included. Adjuvant therapy provided no benefits in terms of OS (HR 1.07; 95%CI 0.89 to 1.28; P = 0.48 I2 = 0% or DFS (HR 1.03; 95%CI 0.87 to 1.21; P = 0.77 I2 = 15% when compared to no treatment. No subgroup analysis (immunotherapy, vaccines, biochemotherapy and hormone therapy had relevant results. Toxicity evaluation depicted a significantly higher frequency of serious adverse events in the adjuvant group. Conclusions This analysis provided no support for the hypothesis that the agents studied provide any clinical benefit for renal cancer patients although they increase the risk of toxic effects. Randomized trials are underway to test targeted therapies, which might open a new therapeutic frontier. Until these trials yield results, no adjuvant therapy can be recommended for patients who undergo surgical resection for renal cell cancer.

  15. Targeted Therapies in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jurjees Hasan

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Molecularly targeted therapy is relatively new to ovarian cancer despite the unquestionable success with these agents in other solid tumours such as breast and colorectal cancer. Advanced ovarian cancer is chemosensitive and patients can survive several years on treatment. However chemotherapy diminishes in efficacy over time whilst toxicities persist. Newer biological agents that target explicit molecular pathways and lack specific chemotherapy toxicities such as myelosuppression offer the advantage of long-term therapy with a manageable toxicity profile enabling patients to enjoy a good quality of life. In this review we appraise the emerging data on novel targeted therapies in ovarian cancer. We discuss the role of these compounds in the front-line treatment of ovarian cancer and in relapsed disease; and describe how the development of predictive clinical, molecular and imaging biomarkers will define the role of biological agents in the treatment of ovarian cancer.

  16. Targeted Therapies in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dean, Emma; El-Helw, Loaie; Hasan, Jurjees, E-mail: jurjees.hasan@christie.nhs.uk [Christie Hospital NHS Foundation Trust / Wilmslow Road, Manchester, M20 4BX (United Kingdom)

    2010-02-23

    Molecularly targeted therapy is relatively new to ovarian cancer despite the unquestionable success with these agents in other solid tumours such as breast and colorectal cancer. Advanced ovarian cancer is chemosensitive and patients can survive several years on treatment. However chemotherapy diminishes in efficacy over time whilst toxicities persist. Newer biological agents that target explicit molecular pathways and lack specific chemotherapy toxicities such as myelosuppression offer the advantage of long-term therapy with a manageable toxicity profile enabling patients to enjoy a good quality of life. In this review we appraise the emerging data on novel targeted therapies in ovarian cancer. We discuss the role of these compounds in the front-line treatment of ovarian cancer and in relapsed disease; and describe how the development of predictive clinical, molecular and imaging biomarkers will define the role of biological agents in the treatment of ovarian cancer.

  17. Durvalumab: a potential maintenance therapy in surgery-ineligible non-small-cell lung cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shafique MR

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Michael R Shafique, Lary A Robinson, Scott Antonia Department of Thoracic Oncology, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA Abstract: Lung cancer is the most common cancer worldwide and the most common cause of cancer-related death. Non-small-cell lung cancer comprises ~87% of newly diagnosed cases of lung cancer, and nearly one-third of these patients have stage III disease. Despite improvements in the treatment of stage IV lung cancer, particularly with the introduction and dissemination of checkpoint inhibitors, very little progress has been made in the treatment of stage III lung cancer. In this article, we discuss the general staging criteria and treatment options for stage III lung cancer. We review how concurrent radiation and chemotherapy can have immunomodulatory effects, supporting the rationale for incorporating immunotherapy into existing treatment paradigms. Finally, we discuss the results of the PACIFIC trial and implications for the treatment of stage III lung cancer. In the PACIFIC trial, adding durvalumab as a maintenance therapy following the completion of chemoradiotherapy improved progression-free survival in patients with locally advanced unresectable stage III lung cancer. On the strength of these results, durvalumab has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in this setting, representing the first advance in the treatment of stage III lung cancer in nearly a decade. Keywords: non-small-cell lung cancer, maintenance therapy, staging, immunotherapy, chemoradiation, surgery-ineligible, durvalumab

  18. Radiation Therapy for Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radiation therapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses high doses of radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Learn about the types of radiation, why side effects happen, which ones you might have, and more.

  19. Nonsurgical treatment for cancer using radiation therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ogi, Yasuo

    2012-01-01

    The number of people who are dying from cancer has been increasing in association with population aging. Radiation therapy is now one of the three major cancer treatment methods, along with surgery and chemotherapy. People used to consider radiation therapy only as a ''noninvasive cancer treatment''; however, with the ceaseless effort by medical experts and corporations, different radiation therapy types and techniques including the latest technical advances have come out one after another, and the improvements in radiation therapies have provided treatments that are not only less traumatizing to patients but also as effective and therapeutic as surgery in certain body regions. The importance of radiation therapy has become and will become even greater in the society with more elderly cancer patients who do not have the physical strength to undergo surgery. In this article, the history of radiation therapy, rapidly developed high-precision radiation therapy techniques, and unsolved issues are discussed, and then, ''MHI vero4DRT'', which is the high-precision image-guided radiation therapy equipment developed for solving such issues, is introduced. (author)

  20. Effectiveness of Mindfulness-based Therapy for Reducing Anxiety and Depression in Patients With Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Mei-Fen; Wen, Yong-Shan; Liu, Wei-Yan; Peng, Li-Fen; Wu, Xiao-Dan; Liu, Qian-Wen

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Anxiety and depression are common among patients with cancer, and are often treated with psychological interventions including mindfulness-based therapy. The aim of the study was to perform a meta-analysis of the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for improving anxiety and depression in patients with cancer. Medline, the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and Google Scholar were searched. The randomized controlled trials designed for patients diagnosed with cancer were included. Mindfulness-based interventions were provided. The outcomes assessed were the changes in anxiety and depression scores from before to after the intervention. The treatment response was determined by calculating the standardized mean difference (SMD) for individual studies and for pooled study results. Subgroup analyses by cancer type, type of therapy, and length of follow-up were performed. Seven studies, involving 469 participants who received mindfulness-based interventions and 419 participants in a control group, were included in the meta-analysis. Mindfulness-based stress reduction and art therapy were the most common interventions (5/7 studies). All studies reported anxiety and depression scores. The pooled SMD of the change in anxiety significantly favored mindfulness-based therapy over control treatment (−0.75, 95% confidence interval −1.28, −0.22, P = 0.005). Likewise, the pooled SMD of the change in depression also significantly favored mindfulness-based therapy over control (−0.90, 95% confidence interval −1.53, −0.26, P = 0.006). During the length of follow-ups less than 12 weeks, mindfulness-based therapy significantly improved anxiety for follow-up ≤12 weeks after the start of therapy, but not >12 weeks after the start of therapy. There was a lack of consistency between the studies in the type of mindfulness-based/control intervention implemented. Patients had different forms of cancer. Subgroup analyses included a relatively small number of

  1. Theranostic Imaging of Cancer Gene Therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sekar, Thillai V; Paulmurugan, Ramasamy

    2016-01-01

    Gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT) is a promising therapeutic approach for treating cancers of various phenotypes. This strategy is independent of various other chemotherapeutic drugs used for treating cancers where the drugs are mainly designed to target endogenous cellular mechanisms, which are different in various cancer subtypes. In GDEPT an external enzyme, which is different from the cellular proteins, is expressed to convert the injected prodrug in to a toxic metabolite, that normally kill cancer cells express this protein. Theranostic imaging is an approach used to directly monitor the expression of these gene therapy enzymes while evaluating therapeutic effect. We recently developed a dual-GDEPT system where we combined mutant human herpes simplex thymidine kinase (HSV1sr39TK) and E. coli nitroreductase (NTR) enzyme, to improve therapeutic efficiency of cancer gene therapy by simultaneously injecting two prodrugs at a lower dose. In this approach we use two different prodrugs such as ganciclovir (GCV) and CB1954 to target two different cellular mechanisms to kill cancer cells. The developed dual GDEPT system was highly efficacious than that of either of the system used independently. In this chapter, we describe the complete protocol involved for in vitro and in vivo imaging of therapeutic cancer gene therapy evaluation.

  2. Thyroid cancer following 131I therapy for hyperthyroidism

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watanabe, Iwao

    1980-01-01

    A women aged 37 who had thyroid cancer after 131 I therapy for hyperthyroidism was reported. She had received various conservative therapies and surgical treatments for hyperthyroidism for 10 years before 131 I therapy. Similar cases were picked out from many reports, and their clinical characteristics were discussed. The incidence of thyroid cancer after 131 I therapy, age and sex of patients, dosage of 131 I, histological changes after the irradiation of 131 I, sites of thyroid cancer, and the relationship between 131 I therapy and the occurrence time of thyroid cancer were also considered. (Tsunoda, M.)

  3. Immune-Stimulating Combinatorial Therapy for Prostate Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-10-01

    Overlap: None 20 90061946 (Drake) Title: Epigenetic Drugs and Immuno Therapy for Prostate Cancer (EDIT-PC) Effort: 1.2 calendar months (10% effort...AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-15-1-0667 TITLE: Immune-Stimulating Combinatorial Therapy for Prostate Cancer PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Robert Ivkov...Stimulating Combinatorial Therapy for Prostate Cancer 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-15-1-0667 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S

  4. Emerging Therapies in Metastatic Prostate Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sonnenburg, Daniel W; Morgans, Alicia K

    2018-04-11

    In the last decade, there have been multiple landmark therapeutic advances for the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer, both in the castration-resistant and hormone-sensitive setting. In this review, we highlight recent progress and ongoing trials for metastatic prostate cancer, including advances in chemotherapy, androgen receptor-directed therapy, targeted therapies, and immunotherapy. Several landmark studies for men with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer demonstrated improvement in overall survival with the addition of docetaxel chemotherapy or abiraterone acetate to standard androgen deprivation therapy. A single-arm phase 2 study of the PARP inhibitor olaparib demonstrated high response rates and more favorable progression-free and overall survival for men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and DNA repair defects treated with olaparib compared with men without DNA repair defects. Multiple ongoing clinical trials are investigating novel hormonal therapies and combinations of chemotherapy, targeted small molecules, immunotherapy, and radiopharmaceuticals. Progress continues to be made in the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer, and ongoing clinical trials continue to investigate novel agents and approaches to treatment.

  5. External Beam Radiation Therapy for Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    External beam radiation therapy is used to treat many types of cancer. it is a local treatment, where a machine aims radiation at your cancer. Learn more about different types of external beam radiation therapy, and what to expect if you're receiving treatment.

  6. Cancer stem cells, cancer cell plasticity and radiation therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vlashi, Erina; Pajonk, Frank

    2015-04-01

    Since the first prospective identification of cancer stem cells in solid cancers the cancer stem cell hypothesis has reemerged as a research topic of increasing interest. It postulates that solid cancers are organized hierarchically with a small number of cancer stem cells driving tumor growth, repopulation after injury and metastasis. They give rise to differentiated progeny, which lack these features. The model predicts that for any therapy to provide cure, all cancer stem cells have to be eliminated while the survival of differentiated progeny is less critical. In this review we discuss recent reports challenging the idea of a unidirectional differentiation of cancer cells. These reports provide evidence supporting the idea that non-stem cancer cells exhibit a remarkable degree of plasticity that allows them to re-acquire cancer stem cell traits, especially in the context of radiation therapy. We summarize conditions under which differentiation is reversed and discuss the current knowledge of the underlying mechanisms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Cancer Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cem Soylu

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the structured but flexible psychosocial interventions that could be applied to patients with cancer. In many studies the positive effects of cognitive behavioral therapy in reducing psychological morbidity and improving the quality of life of cancer patients have been shown. In this article, the contents and techniques of adapted cognitive behavioral therapy for patients with cancer and its effectiveness in commonly seen psychiatric disorders have been reviewed. The aim of this article is to contribute positively to physicians and nurses in Turkey for early detection of psychological distress and referral to the therapist that would clearly increase the quality of life of cancer patients. [Psikiyatride Guncel Yaklasimlar - Current Approaches in Psychiatry 2014; 6(3.000: 257-270

  8. Combination antiretroviral therapy and cancer risk

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Borges, Álvaro H

    2017-01-01

    PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review the newest research about the effects of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) on cancer risk. RECENT FINDINGS: HIV+ persons are at increased risk of cancer. As this risk is higher for malignancies driven by viral and bacterial coinfections, classifying malignanci......ART initiation in reducing cancer risk, understand the relationship between long-term cART exposure and cancer incidence and assess whether adjuvant anti-inflammatory therapies can reduce cancer risk during treated HIV infection.......PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review the newest research about the effects of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) on cancer risk. RECENT FINDINGS: HIV+ persons are at increased risk of cancer. As this risk is higher for malignancies driven by viral and bacterial coinfections, classifying malignancies...... into infection-related and infection-unrelated has been an emerging trend. Cohorts have detected major reductions in the incidence of Kaposi sarcoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) following cART initiation among immunosuppressed HIV+ persons. However, recent randomized data indicate that cART reduces risk...

  9. Targeted Radiation Therapy for Cancer Initiative

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-11-01

    AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-08-2-0174 TITLE: Targeted Radiation Therapy for Cancer Initiative PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dusten Macdonald, MD...for Cancer Initiative 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Dusten Macdonald, MD 5d. PROJECT NUMBER...Cancer Initiative Final Report INTRODUCTION: The full potential of radiation therapy has not been realized due to the inability to locate and

  10. Stem cells’ guided gene therapy of cancer: New frontier in personalized and targeted therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mavroudi M

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Diagnosis and therapy of cancer remain to be the greatest challenges for all physicians working in clinical oncology and molecular medicine. The grim statistics speak for themselves with reports of 1,638,910 men and women diagnosed with cancer and nearly 577,190 patients passed away due to cancer in the USA in 2012. For practicing clinicians, who treat patients suffering from advanced cancers with contemporary systemic therapies, the main challenge is to attain therapeutic efficacy, while minimizing side effects. Unfortunately, all contemporary systemic therapies cause side effects. In treated patients, these side effects may range from nausea to damaged tissues. In cancer survivors, the iatrogenic outcomes of systemic therapies may include genomic mutations and their consequences. Therefore, there is an urgent need for personalized and targeted therapies. Recently, we reviewed the current status of suicide gene therapy for cancer. Herein, we discuss the novel strategy: genetically engineered stem guided gene therapy. Stem cells have the unique potential for self-renewal and differentiation. This potential is the primary reason for introducing them into medicine to regenerate injured or degenerated organs, as well as to rejuvenate aging tissues. Recent advances in genetic engineering and stem cell research have created the foundations for genetic engineering of stem cells as the vectors for delivery of therapeutic transgenes. Specifically in oncology, the stem cells are genetically engineered to deliver the cell suicide inducing genes selectively to the cancer cells. Expression of the transgenes kills the cancer cells, while leaving healthy cells unaffected. Herein, we present various strategies to bioengineer suicide inducing genes and stem cell vectors. Moreover, we review results of the main preclinical studies and clinical trials. However, the main risk for therapeutic use of stem cells is their cancerous transformation. Therefore, we

  11. 131I therapy of thyroid cancer patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reiners, C.; Farahati, J.

    1999-01-01

    Thyroid cancer is a rare malignancy with wide inter ethnic and geographic variations. In Germany thyroid carcinoma is the 13. most frequent malignancy (2.7 new cases yearly per 100,000 inhabitants). The overall temporal incidence is increasing slightly in recent years. The most common types of cancer are papillary (60-80%) and follicular cancers (10-20%). The relevant prognostic indicators are tumor stage and distant metastases. The mean survival rates in papillary thyroid cancer usually exceed 90%, whereas in follicular thyroid cancer they amount to approximately 80%. The standard treatment procedure in differentiated papillary and follicular thyroid cancer consists of total thyroidectomy followed by adjuvant ablative therapy with radioiodine. Only in papillary thyroid cancer stage pT 1 N 0 M 0 lobectomy alone is considered to be appropriate. In patients with locally invasive differentiated thyroid cancers stage pT 4 adjuvant percutaneous radiation therapy is a treatment option. Radioiodine therapy has to be performed under the stimulative influence of TSH. Usually TSH suppressive medication with Levothyroxine has to be withdrawn approximately 4 weeks prior to radioiodine therapy. In the future, exogenous stimulation by recombinant TSH may be used instead of thyroid hormone withdrawal. It has been proved by different studies that ablative radioiodine therapy reduces the frequency of recurrences and tumor spread in patients with thyroid cancer significantly. In patients with distant metastases, up to 50% of complete responses may be achieved with radioiodine treatment

  12. Development of Personalized Cancer Therapy for Men with Advanced Prostate Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-10-01

    AWARD NUMBERS: W81XWH-14-1-0554 TITLE: Development of Personalized Cancer Therapy for Men with Advanced Prostate Cancer PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR...Dr. Nora M. Navone CONTRACTING ORGANIZATION: The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center 1515 Holcombe Blvd. Houston, TX 77030-4009...COVERED 09/22/2016-09/21/2017 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER N/A Development of Personalized Cancer Therapy for Men with Advanced

  13. Dance as a therapy for cancer prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aktas, Gurbuz; Ogce, Filiz

    2005-01-01

    Even though the field of medicine has developed tremendously, the wide variety of cancer is still among chronic and life threatening disease today. Therefore, the specialists constantly research and try every possible way to find cure or preventive ways to stop its further development. For this reason, studies concerning the chronic disease such as cancer have been spread to many different fields. In this regard, many other alternative ways besides medicine, are used in prevention of cancer. Nutritional therapy, herbal therapy, sportive activities, art therapy, music therapy, dance therapy, imagery, yoga and acupuncture can be given as examples. Among these, dance/movement therapy which deals with individuals physical, emotional, cognitive as well as social integration is widely used as a popular form of physical activity. The physical benefits of dance therapy as exercise are well documented. Studies have shown that physical activity is known to increase special neurotransmitter substances in the brain (endorphins), which create a state of well-being. And total body movement such as dance enhances the functions of other body systems, such as circulatory, respiratory, skeletal, and muscular systems. Regarding its unique connection to the field of medicine, many researches have been undertaken on the effects of dance/movement therapy in special settings with physical problems such as amputations, traumatic brain injury, and stroke, chronic illnesses such as anorexia, bulimia, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, cystic fibrosis, heart disease, diabetes, asthma, AIDS, and arthritis. Today dance/movement therapy is a well recognized form of complementary therapy used in hospitals as well as at the comprehensive clinical cancer centres.

  14. Complete clinical responses to cancer therapy caused by multiple divergent approaches: a repeating theme lost in translation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Coventry BJ

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Brendon J Coventry, Martin L AshdownDiscipline of Surgery, University of Adelaide, Royal Adelaide Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, University of Melbourne, AustraliaAbstract: Over 50 years of cancer therapy history reveals complete clinical responses (CRs from remarkably divergent forms of therapies (eg, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery, vaccines, autologous cell transfers, cytokines, monoclonal antibodies for advanced solid malignancies occur with an approximately similar frequency of 5%–10%. This has remained frustratingly almost static. However, CRs usually underpin strong durable 5-year patient survival. How can this apparent paradox be explained?Over some 20 years, realization that (1 chronic inflammation is intricately associated with cancer, and (2 the immune system is delicately balanced between responsiveness and tolerance of cancer, provides a greatly significant insight into ways cancer might be more effectively treated. In this review, divergent aspects from the largely segmented literature and recent conferences are drawn together to provide observations revealing some emerging reasoning, in terms of "final common pathways" of cancer cell damage, immune stimulation, and auto-vaccination events, ultimately leading to cancer cell destruction. Created from this is a unifying overarching concept to explain why multiple approaches to cancer therapy can provide complete responses at almost equivalent rates. This "missing" aspect provides a reasoned explanation for what has, and is being, increasingly reported in the mainstream literature – that inflammatory and immune responses appear intricately associated with, if not causative of, complete responses induced by divergent forms of cancer therapy. Curiously, whether by chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, or other means, therapy-induced cell injury results, leaving inflammation and immune system stimulation as a final common denominator across all of these mechanisms of cancer

  15. New modalities in radiation therapy for treatment of cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumar, Deepak

    2013-01-01

    Cancer is a generic term for a large group of diseases characterized by rapid creation of abnormal cells that grow beyond their usual boundaries, and which can then invade adjoining parts of the body and spread to other organs. Cancer mortality is the second and most common cause of death in the USA and in most European countries. In India, it is the fourth leading disease and the major cause of death. Cancer remains one of the most dreadful disease and approximately ten million cases of cancer occur in the world every year. The course of cancer treatment depends on the type of cancer, its location, and its state of advancement. Cancer is treated with surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, biological therapy and targeted therapy. Radiation therapy is an important an affordable modality for cancer treatment with minimal side effects. Radiation kills cancer cells with high-energy rays targeted directly to the tumor. Radiation therapy works by damaging the DNA and preventing its replication: therefore, it preferentially kills cancer cells, which rapidly divides. Radiation therapy is used for cure, control, and palliation of cancers in more than 60% of cancer patients. The goal of radiotherapy is to treat the cancer and spare the normal tissue as much as possible. Advances have been made in radiotherapy that allow delivery of higher doses of radiation to the tumor while sparing a greater amount of surrounding tissue, thus achieving more cures and fewer acute and long-term side effects. Technological advances and research are being continued to result in improvements in the field. Several new devices and techniques are used these days in radiotherapy for accurate treatment of cancer. Teletherapy (external radiation therapy) used focused radiation beams targeting well defined tumor through extremely detailed imaging scans. Conventional external beam radiation therapy (2DXRT) is delivered via two-dimensional beams using linear accelerator machines (X

  16. Preventing invasive breast cancer using endocrine therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thorat, Mangesh A; Cuzick, Jack

    2017-08-01

    Developments in breast cancer treatment have resulted in reduction in breast cancer mortality in the developed world. However incidence continues to rise and greater use of preventive interventions including the use of therapeutic agents is needed to control this burden. High quality evidence from 9 major trials involving more than 83000 participants shows that selective oestrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) reduce breast cancer incidence by 38%. Combined results from 2 large trials with 8424 participants show that aromatase inhibitors (AIs) reduce breast cancer incidence by 53%. These benefits are restricted to prevention of ER positive breast cancers. Restricting preventive therapy to high-risk women improves the benefit-harm balance and many guidelines now encourage healthcare professionals to discuss preventive therapy in these women. Further research is needed to improve our risk-prediction models for the identification of high risk women for preventive therapy with greater accuracy and to develop surrogate biomarkers of response. Long-term follow-up of the IBIS-I trial has provided valuable insights into the durability of benefits from preventive therapy, and underscores the need for such follow up to fully evaluate other agents. Full utilisation of preventive therapy also requires greater knowledge and awareness among both doctors and patients about benefits, harms and risk factors. Healthcare professionals should routinely discuss preventive therapy with women at high-risk of breast cancer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Systematic Review of the Use of Phytochemicals for Management of Pain in Cancer Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew M. Harrison

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Pain in cancer therapy is a common condition and there is a need for new options in therapeutic management. While phytochemicals have been proposed as one pain management solution, knowledge of their utility is limited. The objective of this study was to perform a systematic review of the biomedical literature for the use of phytochemicals for management of cancer therapy pain in human subjects. Of an initial database search of 1,603 abstracts, 32 full-text articles were eligible for further assessment. Only 7 of these articles met all inclusion criteria for this systematic review. The average relative risk of phytochemical versus control was 1.03 [95% CI 0.59 to 2.06]. In other words (although not statistically significant, patients treated with phytochemicals were slightly more likely than patients treated with control to obtain successful management of pain in cancer therapy. We identified a lack of quality research literature on this subject and thus were unable to demonstrate a clear therapeutic benefit for either general or specific use of phytochemicals in the management of cancer pain. This lack of data is especially apparent for psychotropic phytochemicals, such as the Cannabis plant (marijuana. Additional implications of our findings are also explored.

  18. Clinical relevance of "withdrawal therapy" as a form of hormonal manipulation for breast cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robertson John FR

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background It has been shown in in-vitro experiments that "withdrawal" of tamoxifen inhibits growth of tumor cells. However, evidence is scarce when this is extrapolated into clinical context. We report our experience to verify the clinical relevance of "withdrawal therapy". Methods Breast cancer patients since 1998 who fulfilled the following criteria were selected from the departmental database and the case-notes were retrospectively reviewed: (1 estrogen receptor positive, operable primary breast cancer in elderly (age > 70 years, locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer; (2 disease deemed suitable for treatment by hormonal manipulation; (3 disease assessable by UICC criteria; (4 received "withdrawal" from a prior endocrine agent as a form of therapy; (5 on "withdrawal therapy" for ≥ 6 months unless they progressed prior. Results Seventeen patients with median age of 84.3 (53.7-92.5 had "withdrawal therapy" as second to tenth line of treatment following prior endocrine therapy using tamoxifen (n = 10, an aromatase inhibitor (n = 5, megestrol acetate (n = 1 or fulvestrant (n = 1. Ten patients (58.8% had clinical benefit (CB (complete response/partial response/stable disease ≥ 6 months with a median duration of Clinical Benefit (DoCB of 10+ (7-27 months. Two patients remain on "withdrawal therapy" at the time of analysis. Conclusion "Withdrawal therapy" appears to produce sustained CB in a significant proportion of patients. This applies not only to "withdrawal" from tamoxifen, but also from other categories of endocrine agents. "Withdrawal" from endocrine therapy is, therefore, a viable intercalating option between endocrine agents to minimise resistance and provide additional line of therapy. It should be considered as part of the sequencing of endocrine therapy.

  19. Gene therapy for lung cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toloza, Eric M; Morse, Michael A; Lyerly, H Kim

    2006-09-01

    Lung cancer patients suffer a 15% overall survival despite advances in chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. This unacceptably low survival rate is due to the usual finding of advanced disease at diagnosis. However, multimodality strategies using conventional therapies only minimally improve survival rates even in early stages of lung cancer. Attempts to improve survival in advanced disease using various combinations of platinum-based chemotherapy have demonstrated that no regimen is superior, suggesting a therapeutic plateau and the need for novel, more specific, and less toxic therapeutic strategies. Over the past three decades, the genetic etiology of cancer has been gradually delineated, albeit not yet completely. Understanding the molecular events that occur during the multistep process of bronchogenic carcinogenesis may make these tasks more surmountable. During these same three decades, techniques have been developed which allow transfer of functional genes into mammalian cells. For example, blockade of activated tumor-promoting oncogenes or replacement of inactivated tumor-suppressing or apoptosis-promoting genes can be achieved by gene therapy. This article will discuss the therapeutic implications of these molecular changes associated with bronchogenic carcinomas and will then review the status of gene therapies for treatment of lung cancer. (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  20. Neutron therapy for salivary and thyroid gland cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gribova, O. V., E-mail: gribova79@mail.ru; Choynzonov, E. L., E-mail: nii@oncology.tomsk.ru [Tomsk Cancer Research Institute, Kooperativny Street 5, Tomsk, 634050 (Russian Federation); National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University, Lenina Avenue 30, Tomsk, 634050 (Russian Federation); Musabaeva, L. I., E-mail: musabaevaLI@oncology.tomsk.ru; Lisin, V. A., E-mail: Lisin@oncology.tomsk.ru; Novikov, V. A., E-mail: dr.vanovikov@gmail.com [Tomsk Cancer Research Institute, Kooperativny Street 5, Tomsk, 634050 (Russian Federation)

    2016-08-02

    The purpose of this study was to analyze the results of the combined modality treatment and radiation therapy using 6.3 MeV fast neutrons for salivary gland cancer and prognostically unfavorable thyroid gland cancer. The study group comprised 127 patients with salivary gland cancer and 46 patients with thyroid gland cancer, who received neutron therapy alone and in combination with surgery. The results obtained demonstrated that the combined modality treatment including fast neutron therapy led to encouraging local control in patients with salivary and thyroid gland cancers.

  1. Autophagy Therapeutic Potential of Garlic in Human Cancer Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yung-Lin Chu

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Cancer is one of the deadliest diseases against humans. To tackle this menace, humans have developed several high-technology therapies, such as chemotherapy, tomotherapy, targeted therapy, and antibody therapy. However, all these therapies have their own adverse side effects. Therefore, recent years have seen increased attention being given to the natural food for complementary therapy, which have less side effects. Garlic 大 蒜 Dà Suàn; Allium sativum, is one of most powerful food used in many of the civilizations for both culinary and medicinal purpose. In general, these foods induce cancer cell death by apoptosis, autophagy, or necrosis. Studies have discussed how natural food factors regulate cell survival or death by autophagy in cancer cells. From many literature reviews, garlic could not only induce apoptosis but also autophagy in cancer cells. Autophagy, which is called type-II programmed cell death, provides new strategy in cancer therapy. In conclusion, we wish that garlic could be the pioneer food of complementary therapy in clinical cancer treatment and increase the life quality of cancer patients.

  2. Oncolytic viral therapy: targeting cancer stem cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Smith TT

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Tyrel T Smith,1 Justin C Roth,1 Gregory K Friedman,1 G Yancey Gillespie2 1Department of Pediatrics, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; 2Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA Abstract: Cancer stem cells (CSCs are defined as rare populations of tumor-initiating cancer cells that are capable of both self-renewal and differentiation. Extensive research is currently underway to develop therapeutics that target CSCs for cancer therapy, due to their critical role in tumorigenesis, as well as their resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. To this end, oncolytic viruses targeting unique CSC markers, signaling pathways, or the pro-tumor CSC niche offer promising potential as CSCs-destroying agents/therapeutics. We provide a summary of existing knowledge on the biology of CSCs, including their markers and their niche thought to comprise the tumor microenvironment, and then we provide a critical analysis of the potential for targeting CSCs with oncolytic viruses, including herpes simplex virus-1, adenovirus, measles virus, reovirus, and vaccinia virus. Specifically, we review current literature regarding first-generation oncolytic viruses with their innate ability to replicate in CSCs, as well as second-generation viruses engineered to enhance the oncolytic effect and CSC-targeting through transgene expression. Keywords: oncolytic virotherapy, cancer stem cell niche

  3. Propensity Score Matched Comparison of Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy vs Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Localized Prostate Cancer: A Survival Analysis from the National Cancer Database

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anthony Ricco

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available PurposeNo direct comparisons between extreme hypofractionation and conventional fractionation have been reported in randomized trials for the treatment of localized prostate cancer. The goal of this study is to use a propensity score matched (PSM analysis with the National Cancer Database (NCDB for the comparison of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT and intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT for organ confined prostate cancer.MethodsMen with localized prostate cancer treated with radiation dose ≥72 Gy for IMRT and ≥35 Gy for SBRT to the prostate only were abstracted from the NCDB. Men treated with previous surgery, brachytherapy, or proton therapy were excluded. Matching was performed to eliminate confounding variables via PSM. Simple 1–1 nearest neighbor matching resulted in a matched sample of 5,430 (2,715 in each group. Subset analyses of men with prostate-specific antigen (PSA > 10, GS = 7, and GS > 7 yielded matched samples of 1,020, 2,194, and 247, respectively.ResultsNo difference in survival was noted between IMRT and SBRT at 8 years (p = 0.65. Subset analyses of higher risk men with PSA > 10 or GS = 7 histology or GS > 7 histology revealed no difference in survival between IMRT and SBRT (p = 0.58, p = 0.68, and p = 0.62, respectively. Variables significant for survival for the matched group included: age (p < 0.0001, primary payor (p = 0.0001, Charlson/Deyo Score (p = 0.0002, PSA (p = 0.0013, Gleason score (p < 0.0001, and use of hormone therapy (p = 0.02.ConclusionUtilizing the NCDB, there is no difference in survival at 8 years comparing IMRT to SBRT in the treatment of localized prostate cancer. Subset analysis confirmed no difference in survival even for intermediate- and high-risk patients based on Gleason Score and PSA.

  4. Nanoscale insights into ion-beam cancer therapy

    CERN Document Server

    2017-01-01

    This book provides a unique and comprehensive overview of state-of-the-art understanding of the molecular and nano-scale processes that play significant roles in ion-beam cancer therapy. It covers experimental design and methodology, and reviews the theoretical understanding of the processes involved. It offers the reader an opportunity to learn from a coherent approach about the physics, chemistry and biology relevant to ion-beam cancer therapy, a growing field of important medical application worldwide. The book describes phenomena occurring on different time and energy scales relevant to the radiation damage of biological targets and ion-beam cancer therapy from the molecular (nano) scale up to the macroscopic level. It illustrates how ion-beam therapy offers the possibility of excellent dose localization for treatment of malignant tumours, minimizing radiation damage in normal tissue whilst maximizing cell-killing within the tumour, offering a significant development in cancer therapy. The full potential ...

  5. FDG-PET in monitoring therapy of breast cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Biersack, H J; Bender, H; Palmedo, H [Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Strasse 25, 53127, Bonn (Germany)

    2004-06-01

    Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) has been used successfully for the staging and re-staging of breast cancer. Another significant indication is the evaluation of therapy response. Only limited data are available on the use of FDG-PET in breast cancer after radiation therapy. The same holds true for chemotherapy. Only the therapy response in locally advanced breast cancer after chemotherapy has been investigated thoroughly. Histopathological response could be predicted with an accuracy of 88-91% after the first and second courses of therapy. A quantitative evaluation is, of course, a prerequisite when FDG-PET is used for therapy monitoring. Only a small number of studies have focussed on hormone therapy. In this context, a flare phenomenon with increasing standardised uptake values after initiation of tamoxifen therapy has been observed. More prospective multicentre trials will be needed to make FDG-PET a powerful tool in monitoring chemotherapy in breast cancer. (orig.)

  6. FDG-PET in monitoring therapy of breast cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Biersack, H.J.; Bender, H.; Palmedo, H.

    2004-01-01

    Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) has been used successfully for the staging and re-staging of breast cancer. Another significant indication is the evaluation of therapy response. Only limited data are available on the use of FDG-PET in breast cancer after radiation therapy. The same holds true for chemotherapy. Only the therapy response in locally advanced breast cancer after chemotherapy has been investigated thoroughly. Histopathological response could be predicted with an accuracy of 88-91% after the first and second courses of therapy. A quantitative evaluation is, of course, a prerequisite when FDG-PET is used for therapy monitoring. Only a small number of studies have focussed on hormone therapy. In this context, a flare phenomenon with increasing standardised uptake values after initiation of tamoxifen therapy has been observed. More prospective multicentre trials will be needed to make FDG-PET a powerful tool in monitoring chemotherapy in breast cancer. (orig.)

  7. Laser spectroscopy monitoring of cancer therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jyothi Lakshmi, R.; Ullas, G.; Kartha, V.B.; Alexander, Mohan

    2000-01-01

    Surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy are the major treatment modalities for many forms of cancer at present. Monitoring of the therapy, follow up studies on regression of the disease and detection of recurrence are very essential for successful treatment. Any technique which will be of assistance for these purposes will thus be of great help. This paper presents some of our results of Raman and Pulsed Laser fluorescence spectroscopy studies on tissues, body fluids and bone, in oral cancer subjects after radiation therapy

  8. Aptamer selection and applications for breast cancer diagnostics and therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mei Liu

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Aptamers are short non-coding, single-stranded oligonucleotides (RNA or DNA developed through Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential enrichment (SELEX in vitro. Similar to antibodies, aptamers can bind to specific targets with high affinity, and are considered promising therapeutic agents as they have several advantages over antibodies, including high specificity, stability, and non-immunogenicity. Furthermore, aptamers can be produced at a low cost and easily modified, and are, therefore, called “chemical antibodies”. In the past years, a variety of aptamers specifically bound to both breast cancer biomarkers and cells had been selected. Besides, taking advantage of nanomaterials, there were a number of aptamer-nanomaterial conjugates been developed and widely investigated for diagnostics and targeted therapy of breast cancer. In this short review, we first present a systematical review of various aptamer selection methods. Then, various aptamer-based diagnostic and therapeutic strategies of breast cancer were provided. Finally, the current problems, challenges, and future perspectives in the field were thoroughly discussed.

  9. Cancer incidence and novel therapies developed in Japan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masaru Iwasaki

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available According to the ministry of Health, Labour and welfare of Japan, Cancer has been the leading cause of death in Japan since 1981. [1] As per the data in 2010, in Japan, one in every three deaths was due to cancer. [2] The Japanese Government has introduced so far, three terms of 10 years strategies for Cancer control since 1984 till date. The budget allocated for cancer control in 2009 was 52.5 billion yen in Japan. [3] Lung is the leading site for cancer in both males and females in Japan. In males, following the lung, stomach, liver, colon and pancreas are other leading sites while in the females, stomach, colon, pancreas and breast are the other leading sites.[1] In 2006, the cancer incidence was 694,000 and the male cancer incidence was 1.4 times as large as that of females. The peak age for cancer deaths in males is their fifties while in the females it is the sixties among Japanese. In addition to the conventional treatments such as surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, some of other therapies in practice in Japan are the Hyperthermia [4] that uses high temperatures to kill or damage the cancer cells, the Ion Beam therapy using proton beams [5] to damage the DNA of the cells as cancer cells have high rate of cell divisions and lesser ability to repair DNA damage, the molecular targeted therapies that interfere with a specific molecular target involved in tumour growth and progression [6] and most importantly the autologous cell based Immunotherapies. Modern Cancer Immunotherapy started in the 1970s in Japan. The immunopotentiators using compounds from Bacteria, Beta Glucans from fungi were the first forms of modern Immunotherapy. Then was the era of direct injection of cytokines such as Interleukins, Interferons etc. The adverse effects associated with the injection of cytokines led to development of cell based Immunotherapies in the 1980s. [7] Immuno-cell therapies involve isolation of immune cells which are then processed and re

  10. Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy (PACT)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2008-01-01

    This document is an informational bulletin about the problems associated with access to diagnosis and therapy of cancers in developing countries and the role of the Program of Action for Cancer Therapy (PACT) of the International Atomic Energy Agency

  11. Triple primary urogenital cancer. A case of secondary cancers following combination therapy comprising chemotherapy plus radiation therapy for testicular cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iuchi, Hiromichi; Watabe, Yoshihiko; Hashimoto, Hiroshi; Kitahara, Katsuyuki; Takeyama, Yoshihiro; Fujita, Shinji

    2012-01-01

    A 68-year-old man was referred to our outpatient clinic with left renal cell cancer and bladder cancer. He had undergone combination therapy comprising chemotherapy plus radiation therapy following radical orchiectomy for testicular cancer at the age of 48 years. The right testis could be felt within the scrotum, however the left testis could not. Blood tests showed no abnormality in regard to testicular tumor markers. Urine cytology was class V. Computed tomography revealed a 3.0 x 3.4 cm mass in the left kidney and a 4.5 x 1.5 cm mass in the left wall of the bladder. We made it a priority to treat the bladder cancer which was strongly suspected to be invasive cancer. At first the patient underwent radical cystectomy. Then left partial nephrectomy was carried out. Our case would appear to be the 24th case of triple primary urogenital cancer in Japan that consisted of left testicular cancer, left renal cancer and bladder cancer. Our case was also thought to be a case of secondary cancer that developed following treatment for testicular cancer. (author)

  12. Progress in the Full-Text Publication Rate of Orthopaedic and Sport Physical Therapy Abstracts Presented at the American Physical Therapy Association's Combined Sections Meeting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warden, Stuart J; Fletcher, Jacquelyn M; Barker, Rick G; Guildenbecher, Elizabeth A; Gorkis, Colleen E; Thompson, William R

    2017-10-07

    Study Design Descriptive study. Background Professional meetings, such as the American Physical Therapy Association's (APTA's) Combined Sections Meeting (CSM), provide forums for sharing information. However, it was reported that only one-quarter of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy abstracts presented at the CSM between 2000 and 2004 went on to full-text publication. This low conversion rate raises a number of concerns regarding the full dissemination of work within the profession. Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine the full-text publication rate of work presented in abstract form at subsequent CSMs and investigate factors influencing the rate. Methods A systematic search was undertaken to locate full-text publications of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy abstracts presented at CSMs between 2005 and 2011. Eligible publications were published within 5 years following abstract presentation. The influences of year of abstract presentation, APTA section, presentation type, institution of origin, study design, and study significance were assessed. Results Over one-third (38.6%) of presented abstracts progressed to full-text publication. Odds of full-text publication increased if the abstract was presented as a platform presentation, originated from a doctorate-granting institution, reported findings of an experimental study, or reported a statistically significant finding. Conclusion The full-text publication rate for orthopaedic and sports physical therapy abstracts presented at recent CSMs has increased by over 50% compared to that reported for the preceding period. The rate is now in the range of that reported in comparable clinical disciplines, demonstrating important progress in the full dissemination of work within the profession. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther, Epub 7 Oct 2017. doi:10.2519/jospt.2018.7581.

  13. Radiation therapy of gynecological cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nori, D.; Hilaris, B.S.

    1987-01-01

    This book consists of three parts: General Principles; Clinical Applications; and Special Topics. Some of the papers are: Introduction to Basic Radiobiology; Staging and Work-up Procedures for Patients with Gynecological Cancers; Radiation Therapy in the Treatment of Cancer of the Cervix; Role of Interstitial Implantation in Gynecological Cancer; Role of Radiocolloids in Gynecological Cancer; Radiosensitizers and Protectors; and Management of Lymphoma Associated with Pregnancy

  14. A REVIEW OF LOW-INTENSITY ULTRASOUND FOR CANCER THERAPY

    Science.gov (United States)

    WOOD, ANDREW K. W.; SEHGAL, CHANDRA M.

    2015-01-01

    The literature describing the use of low-intensity ultrasound in four major areas of cancer therapy was reviewed - sonodynamic therapy, ultrasound mediated chemotherapy, ultrasound mediated gene delivery and antivascular ultrasound therapy. Each technique consistently resulted in the death of cancer cells and the bioeffects of ultrasound were primarily attributed to thermal actions and inertial cavitation. In each therapeutic modality, theranostic contrast agents composed of microbubbles played a role in both therapy and vascular imaging. The development of these agents is important as it establishes a therapeutic-diagnostic platform which can monitor the success of anti-cancer therapy. Little attention, however, has been given to either the direct assessment of the underlying mechanisms of the observed bioeffects or to the viability of these therapies in naturally occurring cancers in larger mammals; if such investigations provided encouraging data there could be a prompt application of a therapy technique in treating cancer patients. PMID:25728459

  15. Gene therapy for prostate cancer.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Tangney, Mark

    2012-01-31

    Cancer remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Despite advances in understanding, detection, and treatment, it accounts for almost one-fourth of all deaths per year in Western countries. Prostate cancer is currently the most commonly diagnosed noncutaneous cancer in men in Europe and the United States, accounting for 15% of all cancers in men. As life expectancy of individuals increases, it is expected that there will also be an increase in the incidence and mortality of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer may be inoperable at initial presentation, unresponsive to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, or recur following appropriate treatment. At the time of presentation, patients may already have metastases in their tissues. Preventing tumor recurrence requires systemic therapy; however, current modalities are limited by toxicity or lack of efficacy. For patients with such metastatic cancers, the development of alternative therapies is essential. Gene therapy is a realistic prospect for the treatment of prostate and other cancers, and involves the delivery of genetic information to the patient to facilitate the production of therapeutic proteins. Therapeutics can act directly (eg, by inducing tumor cells to produce cytotoxic agents) or indirectly by upregulating the immune system to efficiently target tumor cells or by destroying the tumor\\'s vasculature. However, technological difficulties must be addressed before an efficient and safe gene medicine is achieved (primarily by developing a means of delivering genes to the target cells or tissue safely and efficiently). A wealth of research has been carried out over the past 20 years, involving various strategies for the treatment of prostate cancer at preclinical and clinical trial levels. The therapeutic efficacy observed with many of these approaches in patients indicates that these treatment modalities will serve as an important component of urological malignancy treatment in the clinic, either in isolation or

  16. Complementary therapies for symptom management in cancer patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aanchal Satija

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Cancer patients are often poly-symptomatic which distressingly affects their quality of lives (QOLs. Alhough, conventional management provides adequate symptom control, yet is coupled with some limitations. Complementary therapies (CTs have shown beneficial effects in cancer patients for symptomatic relief. The aim of this article is to provide evidence-based review of commonly used CTs for symptom management in cancer care. Hypnosis has promising evidence to be used for managing symptoms such as pain, chemotherapy-induced nausea/vomiting, distress, fatigue, and hot flashes. Guided imagery increases comfort and can be used as a psycho-supportive therapy. Meditation substantially improves psychological function, mental health, and QOL. Cognitive behavioral therapies effectively reduce pain, distress, fatigue, anxiety, and depression; and improve subjective sleep outcomes along with mood and QOL. Yoga has short term beneficial effects for anxiety, depression, fatigue, perceived stress, QOL, and well-being. T'ai Chi and qigong are beneficial adjunctive therapies for supportive cancer care, but their role in reducing cancer pain is not well proven. Acupuncture is effective for reducing treatment related side-effects, pain and fatigue. Other therapies such as massage techniques, energy therapies, and spiritual interventions have also demonstrated positive role in managing cancer-related symptoms and improve overall well-being. However, the clinical effectiveness of these therapies for symptom management in cancer patients cannot be concluded due to poor strength of evidence. Nonetheless, these are relatively free from risks and hence can be given along with conventional treatments. Only by tailoring these therapies as per patient's beliefs and preferences, optimal patient-centered holistic care can be provided.

  17. Hadron Therapy for Cancer Treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lennox, Arlene

    2003-01-01

    The biological and physical rationale for hadron therapy is well understood by the research community, but hadron therapy is not well established in mainstream medicine. This talk will describe the biological advantage of neutron therapy and the dose distribution advantage of proton therapy, followed by a discussion of the challenges to be met before hadron therapy can play a significant role in treating cancer. A proposal for a new research-oriented hadron clinic will be presented.

  18. Risk-optimized proton therapy to minimize radiogenic second cancers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rechner, Laura A; Eley, John G; Howell, Rebecca M

    2015-01-01

    Proton therapy confers substantially lower predicted risk of second cancer compared with photon therapy. However, no previous studies have used an algorithmic approach to optimize beam angle or fluence-modulation for proton therapy to minimize those risks. The objectives of this study were...... to demonstrate the feasibility of risk-optimized proton therapy and to determine the combination of beam angles and fluence weights that minimizes the risk of second cancer in the bladder and rectum for a prostate cancer patient. We used 6 risk models to predict excess relative risk of second cancer. Treatment...

  19. An innovative art therapy program for cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deane, K; Fitch, M; Carman, M

    2000-01-01

    Art therapy is a healing art intended to integrate physical, emotional, and spiritual care by facilitating creative ways for patients to respond to their cancer experience. A new art therapy program was designed to provide cancer patients with opportunities to learn about the McMichael Canadian Art Collection and to explore personal feelings about their cancer experience through combined gallery and studio components. The role of the facilitator was to assist in the interpretation of a participant's drawing in order to reveal meaning in the art. This paper presents patients' perspectives about the new art therapy program. Content analysis of participant feedback provided information about the structure, process, and outcomes of the program. Evaluation of the art therapy/museum education program demonstrated many benefits for cancer patients including support, psychological strength, and new insights about their cancer experience.

  20. Radiation therapy for operable rectal cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bondar, G.V.; Semikoz, N.G.; Bashejev, V.Kh.; Borota, O.V.; Bondarenko, M.V.; Kiyashko, O.Yu.

    2012-01-01

    The authors present a review of the literature on modern tendencies of radiation therapy application to treatment of operable rectal cancer. Many randomized control studies compared the efficacy of combination of radiation therapy (pre-operative or post-operative) and surgery versus surgery only demonstrating various results. Meta-analysis of the data on efficacy of combination of radiation therapy and standard surgery revealed 22 randomized control studies (14 with pre-operative radiation therapy and 8 with post-operative radiation therapy) with total number of 8507 patients (Colorectal Cancer Collaborative Group, 2000). The use of combination treatment reduced the number of isolated locoregional relapses both with pre-operative (22.5 - 12.5 %; p < 0.00001) and post-operative radiation therapy (25.8 - 16.7 %; p - 0.00001). The influence on total survival was not significant (62 % vs. 63 %; p - 0.06).

  1. One-pot synthesis of gold nanostars using plant polyphenols for cancer photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Xiao-Long; Zheng, Cheng; Zhang, Yun; Yang, Huang-Hao; Liu, Xiaolong; Liu, Jingfeng

    2016-01-01

    Branched plasmonic nanostructures have been found to exhibit strong enhancement of the electromagnetic field surrounding their multi-branched petals. This feature endows them with improved performance in catalysis, surface-enhanced Raman scattering, photoacoustic imaging, and photothermal therapy. Albeit several synthesis techniques have been developed, the precisely controlled growth of highly branched nanostructures with a one-pot surfactant-free procedure is still challenging. Herein, we present a simple seedless route to synthesize gold nanostars (AuNSs) using a natural plant polyphenol, gallic acid (GA), as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The size and shape of AuNSs can be tuned by simply adjusting the amount of added GA. Under the optimum condition, the as-prepared AuNSs with diameters about 100 nm exhibit strong near-infrared absorption, good photothermal efficiency, and high biocompatibility. We demonstrate that AuNSs can be utilized for simultaneous photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy in living cancer cells. This study highlights facile synthesized AuNSs could serve as a promising platform for cancer diagnosis and therapy.Graphical AbstractGold nanostars (AuNSs) are synthesized by a simple seedless route using a natural plant polyphenol, gallic acid (GA), as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The AuNSs can be utilized for simultaneous photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy in living cancer cells. This study highlights facile synthesized AuNSs could serve as a promising platform for cancer diagnosis and therapy.

  2. One-pot synthesis of gold nanostars using plant polyphenols for cancer photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Xiao-Long [Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, The United Innovation of Mengchao Hepatobiliary Technology Key Laboratory of Fujian Province (China); Zheng, Cheng [Fuzhou University, The Key Lab of Analysis and Detection Technology for Food Safety of the MOE, College of Chemistry (China); Zhang, Yun [Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen Institute of Rare Earth Materials, Haixi Institute (China); Yang, Huang-Hao [Fuzhou University, The Key Lab of Analysis and Detection Technology for Food Safety of the MOE, College of Chemistry (China); Liu, Xiaolong, E-mail: xiaoloong.liu@gmail.com; Liu, Jingfeng, E-mail: drjingfeng@126.com [Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, The United Innovation of Mengchao Hepatobiliary Technology Key Laboratory of Fujian Province (China)

    2016-07-15

    Branched plasmonic nanostructures have been found to exhibit strong enhancement of the electromagnetic field surrounding their multi-branched petals. This feature endows them with improved performance in catalysis, surface-enhanced Raman scattering, photoacoustic imaging, and photothermal therapy. Albeit several synthesis techniques have been developed, the precisely controlled growth of highly branched nanostructures with a one-pot surfactant-free procedure is still challenging. Herein, we present a simple seedless route to synthesize gold nanostars (AuNSs) using a natural plant polyphenol, gallic acid (GA), as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The size and shape of AuNSs can be tuned by simply adjusting the amount of added GA. Under the optimum condition, the as-prepared AuNSs with diameters about 100 nm exhibit strong near-infrared absorption, good photothermal efficiency, and high biocompatibility. We demonstrate that AuNSs can be utilized for simultaneous photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy in living cancer cells. This study highlights facile synthesized AuNSs could serve as a promising platform for cancer diagnosis and therapy.Graphical AbstractGold nanostars (AuNSs) are synthesized by a simple seedless route using a natural plant polyphenol, gallic acid (GA), as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The AuNSs can be utilized for simultaneous photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy in living cancer cells. This study highlights facile synthesized AuNSs could serve as a promising platform for cancer diagnosis and therapy.

  3. The bystander effect of cancer gene therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lumniczky, K.; Safrany, G.

    2008-01-01

    Cancer gene therapy is a new, promising therapeutic agent. In the clinic, it should be used in combination with existing modalities, such as tumour irradiation. First, we summarise the most important fields of cancer gene therapy: gene directed enzyme pro-drug therapy; the activation of an anti-tumour immune attack; restoration of the wild type p53 status; the application of new, replication competent and oncolytic viral vectors; tumour specific, as well as radiation- and hypoxia-induced gene expression. Special emphasizes are put on the combined effect of these modalities with local tumour irradiation. Using the available vector systems, only a small portion of the cancer cells will contain the therapeutic genes under therapeutic situations. Bystander cell killing might contribute to the success of various gene therapy protocols. We summarise the evidences that lethal bystander effects may occur during cancer gene therapy. Bystander effects are especially important in the gene directed enzyme pro-drug therapy. There, bystander cell killing might have different routes: cell communication through gap junction intercellular contacts; release of toxic metabolites into the neighbourhood or to larger distances; phagocytosis of apoptotic bodies; and the activation of the immune system. Bystander cell killing can be enhanced by the introduction of gap junction proteins into the cells, by further activating the immune system with immune-stimulatory molecules, or by introducing genes into the cells that help the transfer of cytotoxic genes and / or metabolites into the bystander cells. In conclusion, there should be additional improvements in cancer gene therapy for the more efficient clinical application. (orig.)

  4. Focal therapy in prostate cancer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van den Bos, W.

    2016-01-01

    Interesting developments took place in the treatment of prostate cancer including focal therapy for less aggressive organ-confined prostate cancer. Fortunately, curative treatment is often still an option for patients suffering from the lower staged tumors. In carefully selected patients, the

  5. The new era of minimally invasive interventions for prostate cancer: robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy and focal therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Schatloff O

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Oscar Schatloff1, Alyssa S Louis2, Uri Lindner21Global Robotics Institute, Florida Hospital Celebration Health, Celebration, FL, USA; 2Division of Urology, Department of Surgical Oncology, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, CanadaAbstract: Prostate cancer remains a common but highly treatable disease. Innovations in prostate cancer treatment have allowed a transition toward minimally invasive approaches in an attempt to avoid treatment-related morbidities. In the middle of the treatment spectrum between radical open surgeries and active surveillance lies robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP and focal therapy (FT. This review sets out the most current information on RALP and FT (including laser ablation, cryotherapy, high-intensity focused ultrasound, photodynamic therapy, and irreversible electroporation.Keywords: PCa, RALP, FT, laser ablation, cryotherapy, high-intensity focused ultrasound, photodynamic therapy, irreversible electroporation

  6. Proposal of cancer therapy system without rotating gantry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kodaira, Masanobu

    2002-01-01

    Beam therapy is one of useful methods for cancer therapy. Many results in National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS) show many abilities of beam therapy for cancer therapy. In Japan, several beam therapy facilities are constructed or under construction. If its construction budget becomes to be smaller, beam therapy may be used as the general cancer therapy. But in the present beam therapy facilities, the budget of its construction is very large. One of the reasons of big budget is the construction of the big buildings equipped with thick shielding walls. Most of space of the facilities with thick shielding walls is devoted to the treatment equipments such as rotating gantries and beam transport lines. This proposal is that using oblique beam line and rotating treatment bed, multi-portal irradiation is realized without rotating gantry. At the same time, we designed adequate beam lines to minimize the total facilities. (author)

  7. Mesenchymal stem cell-based NK4 gene therapy in nude mice bearing gastric cancer xenografts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhu Y

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Yin Zhu,1,* Ming Cheng,2,* Zhen Yang,3 Chun-Yan Zeng,3 Jiang Chen,3 Yong Xie,3 Shi-Wen Luo,3 Kun-He Zhang,3 Shu-Feng Zhou,4 Nong-Hua Lu1,31Department of Gastroenterology, 2Department of Orthopedics, 3Institute of Digestive Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA*These authors contributed equally to this workAbstract: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs have been recognized as promising delivery vehicles for gene therapy of tumors. Gastric cancer is the third leading cause of worldwide cancer mortality, and novel treatment modalities are urgently needed. NK4 is an antagonist of hepatocyte growth factor receptors (Met which are often aberrantly activated in gastric cancer and thus represent a useful candidate for targeted therapies. This study investigated MSC-delivered NK4 gene therapy in nude mice bearing gastric cancer xenografts. MSCs were transduced with lentiviral vectors carrying NK4 complementary DNA or enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP. Such transduction did not change the phenotype of MSCs. Gastric cancer xenografts were established in BALB/C nude mice, and the mice were treated with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, MSCs-GFP, Lenti-NK4, or MSCs-NK4. The tropism of MSCs toward gastric cancer cells was determined by an in vitro migration assay using MKN45 cells, GES-1 cells and human fibroblasts and their presence in tumor xenografts. Tumor growth, tumor cell apoptosis and intratumoral microvessel density of tumor tissue were measured in nude mice bearing gastric cancer xenografts treated with PBS, MSCs-GFP, Lenti-NK4, or MSCs-NK4 via tail vein injection. The results showed that MSCs migrated preferably to gastric cancer cells in vitro. Systemic MSCs-NK4 injection significantly suppressed the growth of gastric cancer xenografts. MSCs-NK4 migrated and accumulated in tumor

  8. Pancreatic cancer vaccine: a unique potential therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cappello P

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Paola Cappello, Moitza Principe, Francesco Novelli Department of Molecular Biotechnologies and Health Sciences, Center for Experimental Research and Medical Studies, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, University of Turin, Turin, Italy Abstract: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA is a lethal disease and is one of the cancers that is most resistant to traditional therapies. Historically, neither chemotherapy nor radiotherapy has provided any significant increase in the survival of patients with PDA. Despite intensive efforts, any attempts to improve the survival in the past 15 years have failed. This holds true even after the introduction of molecularly targeted agents, chosen on the basis of their involvement in pathways that are considered to be important in PDA development and progression. Recently, however, FOLFIRINOX (5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin treatment has provided a limited survival advantage in patients with advanced PDA. Therefore, effective therapeutic strategies are urgently needed to improve the survival rate of patients with PDA. Results from the last 10 years of research in the field of PDA have helped to identify new immunological targets and develop new vaccines that are capable of stimulating an immune response. In addition, the information obtained about the role of the tumor microenvironment in suppressing the immune response and the possibility of targeting PDA microenvironment to limit immune suppression and enhance the response of effector T-cells has opened new avenues for treating this incurable disease. The time is ripe for developing new therapeutic approaches that are able to effectively counteract the progression and spreading of PDA. This review discusses the potential prospects in the care of patients with pancreatic cancer through vaccination and its combination therapy with surgery, chemotherapy, targeting of the tumor microenvironment, and inhibition of immunological

  9. Comparative Risk Predictions of Second Cancers After Carbon-Ion Therapy Versus Proton Therapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Eley, John G., E-mail: jeley@som.umaryland.edu [Department of Radiation Physics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas (United States); Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland (United States); Friedrich, Thomas [GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt (Germany); Homann, Kenneth L.; Howell, Rebecca M. [Department of Radiation Physics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas (United States); Scholz, Michael; Durante, Marco [GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt (Germany); Newhauser, Wayne D. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (United States); Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (United States)

    2016-05-01

    Purpose: This work proposes a theoretical framework that enables comparative risk predictions for second cancer incidence after particle beam therapy for different ion species for individual patients, accounting for differences in relative biological effectiveness (RBE) for the competing processes of tumor initiation and cell inactivation. Our working hypothesis was that use of carbon-ion therapy instead of proton therapy would show a difference in the predicted risk of second cancer incidence in the breast for a sample of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) patients. Methods and Materials: We generated biologic treatment plans and calculated relative predicted risks of second cancer in the breast by using two proposed methods: a full model derived from the linear quadratic model and a simpler linear-no-threshold model. Results: For our reference calculation, we found the predicted risk of breast cancer incidence for carbon-ion plans-to-proton plan ratio, , to be 0.75 ± 0.07 but not significantly smaller than 1 (P=.180). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that second cancer risks are, on average, comparable between proton therapy and carbon-ion therapy.

  10. Care of the cancer survivor: metabolic syndrome following hormone-modifying therapy

    OpenAIRE

    Redig, Amanda J.; Munshi, Hidayatullah G.

    2010-01-01

    Emerging evidence implicates metabolic syndrome as a long-term cancer risk factor but also suggests that certain cancer therapies may increase patients’ risk of developing metabolic syndrome secondary to cancer therapy. In particular, breast cancer and prostate cancer are driven in part by sex hormones, thus treatment for both diseases is often based on hormone-modifying therapy. Androgen suppression therapy in men with prostate cancer is associated with dyslipidemia, increasing risk of cardi...

  11. [Targeting of the AKT/m-TOR Pathway: Biomarkers of Resistance to Cancer Therapy--
AKT/m-TOR Pathway and Resistance to Cancer Therapy].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spirina, Liudmila V; Kondakova, Irina V; Tarasenko, Natalia V; Slonimskaya, Elena M; Usynin, Evgeny A; Gorbunov, Alexey K; Yurmazov, Zahar A; Chigevskaya, Svetlana Yu

    2018-01-20

    Resistance to cancer therapy continues to be a major limitation for the successful treatment of cancer. There are many published studies on therapy resistance in breast and prostate cancers; however, there are currently no data on molecular markers associated with resistance. The conflicting data were reported regarding the AKT/m-TOR signaling pathway components as markers predicting resistance. The AKT/m-TOR signaling pathway is involved in the development of many human cancers; its activation is related to cell proliferation, angiogenesis, apoptosis, as well as to therapy resistance. Molecular alterations in the AKT/m-TOR signaling pathway provide a platform to identify universal markers associated with the development of resistance to cancer therapy.

  12. The iSBTc/SITC primer on tumor immunology and biological therapy of cancer: a summary of the 2010 program

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Urba Walter J

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer, SITC (formerly the International Society for Biological Therapy of Cancer, iSBTc, aims to improve cancer patient outcomes by advancing the science, development and application of biological therapy and immunotherapy. The society and its educational programs have become premier destinations for interaction and innovation in the cancer biologics community. For over a decade, the society has offered the Primer on Tumor Immunology and Biological Therapy of Cancer™ in conjunction with its Annual Scientific Meeting. This report summarizes the 2010 Primer that took place October 1, 2010 in Washington, D.C. as part of the educational offerings associated with the society's 25th anniversary. The target audience was basic and clinical investigators from academia, industry and regulatory agencies, and included clinicians, post-doctoral fellows, students, and allied health professionals. Attendees were provided a review of basic immunology and educated on the current status and most recent advances in tumor immunology and clinical/translational caner immunology. Ten prominent investigators presented on the following topics: innate immunity and inflammation; an overview of adaptive immunity; dendritic cells; tumor microenvironment; regulatory immune cells; immune monitoring; cytokines in cancer immunotherapy; immune modulating antibodies; cancer vaccines; and adoptive T cell therapy. Presentation slides, a Primer webinar and additional program information are available online on the society's website.

  13. [Nutrition therapy of cancer patients].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lövey, József

    2017-09-20

    The majority of cancer patients becomes malnourished during the course of their disease. Malnutrition deteriorates the efficiency of all kinds of oncologic interventions. As a consequence of it, treatment-related toxicity increases, hospital stay is lengthened, chances of cure and survival as well as the quality of life of the patients worsen. Nutritional status therefore influences all aspects of outcome of oncology care. In spite of this the use of nutritional therapy varies across health care providers but its application is far from being sufficient during active oncology interventions as well as rehabilitation and supportive care. It threatens not only the outcome and quality of life of cancer patients but also the success of oncologic treatments which often demand high input of human and financial resources. Meanwhile application of nutritional therapy is legally regulated in Hungary and a very recent update of the European guideline on cancer patient nutrition published in 2017 is available. Moreover, cost effectiveness of nutritional therapy has been proven in a number of studies. In this review we present the basics of nutritional therapy including nutritional screening and evaluation, nutritional plan, the role of nutrition support teams, oral, enteral and parenteral nutrition, the use of different drugs and special nutrients and the follow-up of the patients.

  14. Enhancing Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy in Kidney Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-10-01

    AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-15-1-0141 TITLE: Enhancing Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor therapy in Kidney Cancer PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Hans-Joerg Hammers...SUBTITLE Enhancing Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor therapy in Kidney Cancer 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH- 15-1-0141 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER...immune checkpoint inhibition in kidney cancer . The work is designed to test different strategies to induce or enhance the abscopal in a kidney cancer

  15. Targeted Therapy in Nonmelanoma Skin Cancers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Spallone, Giulia; Botti, Elisabetta; Costanzo, Antonio

    2011-01-01

    Nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most prevalent cancer in light-skinned populations, and includes mainly Basal Cell Carcinomas (BCC), representing around 75% of NMSC and Squamous Cell Carcinomas (SCC). The incidence of these tumors is continuously growing. It was found that the overall number of procedures for NMSC in US rose by 76%, from 1,158,298 in 1992 to 2,048,517 in 2006. Although mortality from NMSC tends to be very low, clearly the morbidity related to these skin cancers is very high. Treatment options for NMSC include both surgical and nonsurgical interventions. Surgery was considered the gold standard therapy, however, advancements in the knowledge of pathogenic mechanisms of NMSCs led to the identification of key targets for drug intervention and to the consequent development of several targeted therapies. These represent the future in treatment of these common forms of cancer ensuring a high cure rate, preservation of the maximal amount of normal surrounding tissue and optimal cosmetic outcome. Here, we will review recent advancements in NMSC targeted therapies focusing on BCC and SCC

  16. Targeted Therapy in Nonmelanoma Skin Cancers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giulia Spallone

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC is the most prevalent cancer in light-skinned populations, and includes mainly Basal Cell Carcinomas (BCC, representing around 75% of NMSC and Squamous Cell Carcinomas (SCC. The incidence of these tumors is continuously growing. It was found that the overall number of procedures for NMSC in US rose by 76%, from 1,158,298 in 1992 to 2,048,517 in 2006. Although mortality from NMSC tends to be very low, clearly the morbidity related to these skin cancers is very high. Treatment options for NMSC include both surgical and nonsurgical interventions. Surgery was considered the gold standard therapy, however, advancements in the knowledge of pathogenic mechanisms of NMSCs led to the identification of key targets for drug intervention and to the consequent development of several targeted therapies. These represent the future in treatment of these common forms of cancer ensuring a high cure rate, preservation of the maximal amount of normal surrounding tissue and optimal cosmetic outcome. Here, we will review recent advancements in NMSC targeted therapies focusing on BCC and SCC.

  17. Applications of Nanotechnology in Bladder Cancer Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jong-Wei Hsu

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Effective therapies can prevent superficial bladder cancer from developing into muscle-invasive stage or more severe stages which require radical cystectomy and negatively affect life quality. In terms of therapeutic approaches against superficial bladder cancer, intravesical (regional therapy has several advantages over oral (systemic therapy. Though urologists can directly deliver drugs to bladder lesions by intravesical instillation after transurethral resection, the efficacy of conventional drug delivery is usually low due to the bladder permeability barrier and bladder periodical discharge. Nanoparticles have been well developed as pharmaceutical carriers. By their versatile properties, nanoparticles can greatly improve the interactions between urothelium and drugs and also enhance the penetration of drugs into urothelium with lesions, which dramatically improves therapeutic efficacy. In this review, we discuss the advances of nanotechnology in bladder cancer therapy by different types of nanoparticles with different encapsulating materials.

  18. Liposome based radiosensitizer cancer therapy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pourhassan, Houman

    Liposome-encapsulated chemotherapeutics have been used in the treatment of a variety of cancers and are feasible for use as mono-therapeutics as well as for combination therapy in conjunction with other modalities. Despite widespread use of liposomal drugs in cancer patient care, insufficient drug...... biomolecules. By modulating the liposomal membrane, liposomes can become sensitive towards enzymatically-driven destabilization and/or functionalization, thereby allowing control of the release of encapsulated therapeutics within the diseased tissue upon intrinsic stimulation from tumor-associated enzymes...... in tumor-bearing mice.The safety and efficacy of sPLA2-sensitive liposomal L-OHP was assessed in sPLA2-deficient FaDu hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma and sPLA2-expressing Colo205 colorectal adenocarcinoma. Also, the feasibility of multimodal cancer therapy employing L-OHP encapsulated in MMP...

  19. Molecular profiling of childhood cancer: Biomarkers and novel therapies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saletta, Federica; Wadham, Carol; Ziegler, David S; Marshall, Glenn M; Haber, Michelle; McCowage, Geoffrey; Norris, Murray D; Byrne, Jennifer A

    2014-06-01

    Technological advances including high-throughput sequencing have identified numerous tumor-specific genetic changes in pediatric and adolescent cancers that can be exploited as targets for novel therapies. This review provides a detailed overview of recent advances in the application of target-specific therapies for childhood cancers, either as single agents or in combination with other therapies. The review summarizes preclinical evidence on which clinical trials are based, early phase clinical trial results, and the incorporation of predictive biomarkers into clinical practice, according to cancer type. There is growing evidence that molecularly targeted therapies can valuably add to the arsenal available for treating childhood cancers, particularly when used in combination with other therapies. Nonetheless the introduction of molecularly targeted agents into practice remains challenging, due to the use of unselected populations in some clinical trials, inadequate methods to evaluate efficacy, and the need for improved preclinical models to both evaluate dosing and safety of combination therapies. The increasing recognition of the heterogeneity of molecular causes of cancer favors the continued development of molecularly targeted agents, and their transfer to pediatric and adolescent populations.

  20. Kundalini yoga as a support therapy for cancer patients

    OpenAIRE

    Kröneck, Mia

    2016-01-01

    This study was designed to describe cancer patient’s experience of kundalini yoga and its effect on their internal coping resources. The intention of this study is to put forward kundalini yoga as a support therapy for cancer patients for improving their wellbeing during active cancer treatment. This is a descriptive study. An academic literature review was conducted for cancer, cancer treatment, internal coping resources and yoga as therapy topics. Four voluntary female cancer patients (...

  1. "Smart" nickel oxide based core–shell nanoparticles for combined chemo and photodynamic cancer therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bano S

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Shazia Bano,1–3,* Samina Nazir,2,* Saeeda Munir,3 Mohamed Fahad AlAjmi,4 Muhammad Afzal,1 Kehkashan Mazhar3 1Department of Physics, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, 2Nanosciences and Technology Department, National Centre for Physics, Islamabad, 3Institute of Biomedical and Genetic Engineering, Islamabad, Pakistan; 4College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: We report “smart” nickel oxide nanoparticles (NOPs as multimodal cancer therapy agent. Water-dispersible and light-sensitive NiO core was synthesized with folic acid (FA connected bovine serum albumin (BSA shell on entrapped doxorubicin (DOX. The entrapped drug from NOP-DOX@BSA-FA was released in a sustained way (64 hours, pH=5.5, dark conditions while a robust release was found under red light exposure (in 1/2 hour under λmax=655 nm, 50 mW/cm2, at pH=5.5. The cell viability, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and diphenylisobenzofuran assays conducted under light and dark conditions revealed a high photodynamic therapy potential of our construct. Furthermore, we found that the combined effect of DOX and NOPs from NOP-DOX@BSA-FA resulted in cell death approximately eightfold high compared to free DOX. We propose that NOP-DOX@BSA-FA is a potential photodynamic therapy agent and a collective drug delivery system for the systemic administration of cancer chemotherapeutics resulting in combination therapy. Keywords: light-triggered drug release, cancer, bovine serum albumin, multi-model therapy

  2. Radionuclide molecular target therapy for lung cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Fuhai; Meng Zhaowei; Tan Jian

    2012-01-01

    Lung cancer harms people's health or even lives severely. Currently, the morbidity and mortality of lung cancer are ascending all over the world. Accounting for 38.08% of malignant tumor caused death in male and 16% in female in cities,ranking top in both sex. Especially, the therapy of non-small cell lung cancer has not been obviously improved for many years. Recently, sodium/iodide transporter gene transfection and the therapy of molecular target drugs mediated radionuclide are being taken into account and become the new research directions in treatment of advanced lung cancer patients with the development of technology and theory for medical molecular biology and the new knowledge of lung cancer's pathogenesis. (authors)

  3. Advances in combination therapy of lung cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wu, Lan; Leng, Donglei; Cun, Dongmei

    2017-01-01

    Lung cancer is a complex disease caused by a multitude of genetic and environmental factors. The progression of lung cancer involves dynamic changes in the genome and a complex network of interactions between cancer cells with multiple, distinct cell types that form tumors. Combination therapy......, including small molecule drugs and biopharmaceuticals, which make the optimization of dosing and administration schedule challenging. This article reviews the recent advances in the design and development of combinations of pharmaceuticals for the treatment of lung cancer. Focus is primarily on rationales...... for the selection of specific combination therapies for lung cancer treatment, and state of the art of delivery technologies and dosage regimens for the combinations, tested in preclinical and clinical trials....

  4. Accelerators for cancer therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lennox, Arlene J.

    2000-01-01

    The vast majority of radiation treatments for cancerous tumors are given using electron linacs that provide both electrons and photons at several energies. Design and construction of these linacs are based on mature technology that is rapidly becoming more and more standardized and sophisticated. The use of hadrons such as neutrons, protons, alphas, or carbon, oxygen and neon ions is relatively new. Accelerators for hadron therapy are far from standardized, but the use of hadron therapy as an alternative to conventional radiation has led to significant improvements and refinements in conventional treatment techniques. This paper presents the rationale for radiation therapy, describes the accelerators used in conventional and hadron therapy, and outlines the issues that must still be resolved in the emerging field of hadron therapy

  5. Radionuclide therapy of endocrine-related cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kratochwil, C.; Giesel, F.L.

    2014-01-01

    This article gives an overview of the established radionuclide therapies for endocrine-related cancer that already have market authorization or are currently under evaluation in clinical trials. Radioiodine therapy is still the gold standard for differentiated iodine-avid thyroid cancer. In patients with bone and lung metastases (near) total remission is seen in approximately 50 % and the 15-year survival rate for these patients is approximately 90 %. In contrast to the USA, meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) therapy has market approval in Europe. According to the current literature, in the setting of advanced stage neuroblastoma and malignant pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma, radiological remission can be achieved in > 30 % and symptom control in almost 80 % of the treated patients. Somatostatin receptor targeted radionuclide therapies (e.g. with DOTATATE or DOTATOC) demonstrated promising results in phase 2 trials, reporting progression-free survival in the range of 24-36 months. A first phase 3 pivotal trial for intestinal carcinoids is currently recruiting and another trial for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors is planned. Radiopharmaceuticals based on glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP1) or minigastrins are in the early evaluation stage for application in the treatment of insulinomas and medullary thyroid cancer. In general, radiopharmaceutical therapy belongs to the group of so-called theranostics which means that therapy is tailored for individual patients based on molecular imaging diagnostics to stratify target positive or target negative tumor phenotypes. (orig.) [de

  6. Extended Adjuvant Therapy for Breast Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    An NCI Cancer Currents blog on findings from a recent clinical trial which showed that extending adjuvant therapy with an aromatase inhibitor can have important benefits for some women with early-stage cancer.

  7. Regenerative Stem Cell Therapy for Breast Cancer Bone Metastasis

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-11-01

    1 AD_________________ Award Number: W81XWH-11-1-0593 TITLE: Regenerative Stem Cell Therapy for Breast Cancer Bone Metastasis PRINCIPAL...3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 09/15/2011 - 08/14/2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Regenerative Stem Cell Therapy for Breast Cancer Bone Metastasis 5a...4 Title of the Grant: Regenerative Stem Cell Therapy for Breast Cancer Bone Metastasis Award number: W81XWH-11-1-0593 Principal Investigator

  8. Salmonella-mediated cancer therapy: Roles and potential

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nguyen, Vu Hong [Dept. of Experimental TherapeuticsBeckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte (United States); Min, Jung Joon [Dept. of Nuclear MedicineChonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju (Korea, Republic of)

    2017-06-15

    The use of bacteria for cancer therapy, which was proposed many years ago, was not recognized as a potential therapeutic strategy until recently. Technological advances and updated knowledge have enabled the genetic engineering of bacteria for their safe and effective application in the treatment of cancer. The efficacy of radiotherapy depends mainly on tissue oxygen levels, and low oxygen concentrations in necrotic and hypoxic regions are a common cause of treatment failure. In addition, the distribution of a drug is important for the therapeutic effect of chemotherapy, and the poor vasculature in tumors impairs drug delivery, limiting the efficacy of a drug, especially in necrotic and hypoxic regions. Bacteria-mediated cancer therapy (BMCT) relies on facultative anaerobes that can survive in well or poorly oxygenated regions, and it therefore improves the therapeutic efficacy drug distribution throughout the tumor mass. Since the mid-1990s, the number of published bacterial therapy papers has increased rapidly, with a doubling time of 2.5 years in which the use of Salmonella increased significantly. BMCT is being reevaluated to overcome some of the drawbacks of conventional therapies. This review focuses on Salmonella-mediated cancer therapy as the most widely used type of BMCT.{sub 2}.

  9. Salmonella-mediated cancer therapy: Roles and potential

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nguyen, Vu Hong; Min, Jung Joon

    2017-01-01

    The use of bacteria for cancer therapy, which was proposed many years ago, was not recognized as a potential therapeutic strategy until recently. Technological advances and updated knowledge have enabled the genetic engineering of bacteria for their safe and effective application in the treatment of cancer. The efficacy of radiotherapy depends mainly on tissue oxygen levels, and low oxygen concentrations in necrotic and hypoxic regions are a common cause of treatment failure. In addition, the distribution of a drug is important for the therapeutic effect of chemotherapy, and the poor vasculature in tumors impairs drug delivery, limiting the efficacy of a drug, especially in necrotic and hypoxic regions. Bacteria-mediated cancer therapy (BMCT) relies on facultative anaerobes that can survive in well or poorly oxygenated regions, and it therefore improves the therapeutic efficacy drug distribution throughout the tumor mass. Since the mid-1990s, the number of published bacterial therapy papers has increased rapidly, with a doubling time of 2.5 years in which the use of Salmonella increased significantly. BMCT is being reevaluated to overcome some of the drawbacks of conventional therapies. This review focuses on Salmonella-mediated cancer therapy as the most widely used type of BMCT._2

  10. Internal Radiation Therapy for Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    When getting internal radiation therapy, a source of radiation is put inside your body, in either liquid or solid form. It can be used treat different kinds of cancer, including thyroid, head and neck, breast, cervix, prostate, and eye. Learn more about how what to expect when getting internal radiation therapy.

  11. Nanotechnology for Cancer Therapy Based on Chemotherapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chen-Yang Zhao

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Chemotherapy has been widely applied in clinics. However, the therapeutic potential of chemotherapy against cancer is seriously dissatisfactory due to the nonspecific drug distribution, multidrug resistance (MDR and the heterogeneity of cancer. Therefore, combinational therapy based on chemotherapy mediated by nanotechnology, has been the trend in clinical research at present, which can result in a remarkably increased therapeutic efficiency with few side effects to normal tissues. Moreover, to achieve the accurate pre-diagnosis and real-time monitoring for tumor, the research of nano-theranostics, which integrates diagnosis with treatment process, is a promising field in cancer treatment. In this review, the recent studies on combinational therapy based on chemotherapy will be systematically discussed. Furthermore, as a current trend in cancer treatment, advance in theranostic nanoparticles based on chemotherapy will be exemplified briefly. Finally, the present challenges and improvement tips will be presented in combination therapy and nano-theranostics.

  12. Emphasis on neoadjuvant therapy for “resectable” pancreatic cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    LIU Chang

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available The treatment concept for pancreatic cancer is being transferred from “surgery first” to MDT model. The postoperative adjuvant treatment of pancreatic cancer can significantly improve the prognosis of patients and has become the standardized diagnostic and treatment practice; the value and significance of neoadjuvant therapy remains unclear. Limited clinical studies of “borderline resectable” pancreatic cancer have shown that neoadjuvant therapy can improve the R0 resection rate and improve the prognosis of patients, and it is recommended for clinical application. But the significance of neoadjuvant therapy in “resectable” pancreatic cancer is still controversial. There is a lack of consensus on indications, cycles, and regimens. It is necessary to carry out a series of prospective control studies to objectively evaluate the value of neoadjuvant therapy in improving the prognosis of “resectable” pancreatic cancer.

  13. CERN launches new cancer therapy initiative

    CERN Multimedia

    2002-01-01

    "The first meeting of a new European network for research in cancer therapy was held at CERN, in February 2002. ENLIGHT, the European Network for Research in Light Ion Therapy aims to coordinate the development of a variety of projects at European facilities for "light ion therapy" - a form of radiation therapy that uses beams of the nuclei of lightweight atoms" (1/2 page).

  14. Meta-Analysis of Massage Therapy on Cancer Pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Sook-Hyun; Kim, Jong-Yeop; Yeo, Sujung; Kim, Sung-Hoon; Lim, Sabina

    2015-07-01

    Cancer pain is the most common complaint among patients with cancer. Conventional treatment does not always relieve cancer pain satisfactorily. Therefore, many patients with cancer have turned to complementary therapies to help them with their physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Massage therapy is increasingly used for symptom relief in patients with cancer. The current study aimed to investigate by meta-analysis the effects of massage therapy for cancer patients experiencing pain. Nine electronic databases were systematically searched for studies published through August 2013 in English, Chinese, and Korean. Methodological quality was assessed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) and Cochrane risk-of-bias scales. Twelve studies, including 559 participants, were used in the meta-analysis. In 9 high-quality studies based on the PEDro scale (standardized mean difference, -1.24; 95% confidence interval, -1.72 to -0.75), we observed reduction in cancer pain after massage. Massage therapy significantly reduced cancer pain compared with no massage treatment or conventional care (standardized mean difference, -1.25; 95% confidence interval, -1.63 to -0.87). Our results indicate that massage is effective for the relief of cancer pain, especially for surgery-related pain. Among the various types of massage, foot reflexology appeared to be more effective than body or aroma massage. Our meta-analysis indicated a beneficial effect of massage for relief of cancer pain. Further well-designed, large studies with longer follow-up periods are needed to be able to draw firmer conclusions regarding the effectiveness. © The Author(s) 2015.

  15. Multifunctional Nanoparticles for Prostate Cancer Therapy

    OpenAIRE

    Chandratre, Shantanu S.; Dash, Alekha K.

    2014-01-01

    The relapse of cancer after first line therapy with anticancer agents is a common occurrence. This recurrence is believed to be due to the presence of a subpopulation of cells called cancer stem cells in the tumor. Therefore, a combination therapy which is susceptible to both types of cells is desirable. Delivery of this combinatorial approach in a nanoparticulate system will provide even a better therapeutic outcome in tumor targeting. The objective of this study was to develop and character...

  16. Proton therapy of cancer: Potential clinical advantages and cost-effectiveness

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lundkvist, Jonas; Ekman, Mattias; Rehn Ericsson, Suzanne; Glimelius, Bengt; Akademiska sjukhuset, Uppsala

    2005-01-01

    Proton therapy may offer potential clinical advantages compared with conventional radiation therapy for many cancer patients. Due to the large investment costs for building a proton therapy facility, however, the treatment cost with proton radiation is higher than with conventional radiation. It is therefore important to evaluate whether the medical benefits of proton therapy are large enough to motivate the higher costs. We assessed the cost-effectiveness of proton therapy in the treatment of four different cancers: left-sided breast cancer, prostate cancer, head and neck cancer, and childhood medulloblastoma. A Markov cohort simulation model was created for each cancer type and used to simulate the life of patients treated with radiation. Cost and quality adjusted life years (QALYs) were used as primary outcome measures. The results indicated that proton therapy was cost-effective if appropriate risk groups were chosen. The average cost per QALY gained for the four types of cancer assessed was about Euro 10,130. If the value of a QALY was set to Euro 55,000, the total yearly net benefit of treating 925 cancer patients with the four types of cancer was about Euro 20.8 million. Investment in a proton facility may thus be cost-effective. The results must be interpreted with caution, since there is a lack of data, and consequently large uncertainties in the assumptions used

  17. Guidelines for information about therapy experiments: a proposal on best practice for recording experimental data on cancer therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    González-Beltrán Alejandra N

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Biology, biomedicine and healthcare have become data-driven enterprises, where scientists and clinicians need to generate, access, validate, interpret and integrate different kinds of experimental and patient-related data. Thus, recording and reporting of data in a systematic and unambiguous fashion is crucial to allow aggregation and re-use of data. This paper reviews the benefits of existing biomedical data standards and focuses on key elements to record experiments for therapy development. Specifically, we describe the experiments performed in molecular, cellular, animal and clinical models. We also provide an example set of elements for a therapy tested in a phase I clinical trial. Findings We introduce the Guidelines for Information About Therapy Experiments (GIATE, a minimum information checklist creating a consistent framework to transparently report the purpose, methods and results of the therapeutic experiments. A discussion on the scope, design and structure of the guidelines is presented, together with a description of the intended audience. We also present complementary resources such as a classification scheme, and two alternative ways of creating GIATE information: an electronic lab notebook and a simple spreadsheet-based format. Finally, we use GIATE to record the details of the phase I clinical trial of CHT-25 for patients with refractory lymphomas. The benefits of using GIATE for this experiment are discussed. Conclusions While data standards are being developed to facilitate data sharing and integration in various aspects of experimental medicine, such as genomics and clinical data, no previous work focused on therapy development. We propose a checklist for therapy experiments and demonstrate its use in the 131Iodine labeled CHT-25 chimeric antibody cancer therapy. As future work, we will expand the set of GIATE tools to continue to encourage its use by cancer researchers, and we will engineer an ontology to

  18. Perspectives of newly diagnosed advanced cancer patients receiving dignity therapy during cancer treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dose, Ann Marie; Rhudy, Lori M

    2018-01-01

    Dignity therapy is a psychosocial intervention that has been used primarily at the end of life to improve quality of life and other patient outcomes, but many individuals are unable to complete it due to health decline and death. The purpose of this study was to identify what individuals with advanced pancreatic or lung cancer with limited life expectancy, undergoing active cancer treatment describe during the dignity therapy intervention as important to them when not immediately facing end of life. Twenty patients undergoing chemotherapy for advanced cancer participated in a dignity therapy intervention study. Initial interviews were analyzed using descriptive content analysis. Family provided the overall context and background for emerging themes of defining events, accomplishments, and God's plan, which led to lessons learned, and resulted in messages of hope. Interviews were often autobiographical in nature and contained much reminiscence, consistent with dignity therapy's intent. Few participants spoke about their cancer diagnoses during the interview. This study adds unique insight into the use of dignity therapy for those still receiving active cancer treatment, different from work by others in which it was offered only at end of life. As part of supportive care, clinicians need to validate the importance of family to those with advanced cancer and to provide opportunities for patients to share what they have learned throughout life and to impart messages of hope to those closest to them.

  19. Bicarbonate and dichloroacetate: Evaluating pH altering therapies in a mouse model for metastatic breast cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martin Natasha K

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The glycolytic nature of malignant tumors contributes to high levels of extracellular acidity in the tumor microenvironment. Tumor acidity is a driving force in invasion and metastases. Recently, it has been shown that buffering of extracellular acidity through systemic administration of oral bicarbonate can inhibit the spread of metastases in a mouse model for metastatic breast cancer. While these findings are compelling, recent assessments into the use of oral bicarbonate as a cancer intervention reveal limitations. Methods We posited that safety and efficacy of bicarbonate could be enhanced by dichloroacetate (DCA, a drug that selectively targets tumor cells and reduces extracellular acidity through inhibition of glycolysis. Using our mouse model for metastatic breast cancer (MDA-MB-231, we designed an interventional survival study where tumor bearing mice received bicarbonate, DCA, or DCA-bicarbonate (DB therapies chronically. Results Dichloroacetate alone or in combination with bicarbonate did not increase systemic alkalosis in mice. Survival was longest in mice administered bicarbonate-based therapies. Primary tumor re-occurrence after surgeries is associated with survival rates. Although DB therapy did not significantly enhance oral bicarbonate, we did observe reduced pulmonary lesion diameters in this cohort. The DCA monotherapy was not effective in reducing tumor size or metastases or improving survival time. We provide in vitro evidence to suggest this outcome may be a function of hypoxia in the tumor microenvironment. Conclusions DB combination therapy did not appear to enhance the effect of chronic oral bicarbonate. The anti-tumor effect of DCA may be dependent on the cancer model. Our studies suggest DCA efficacy is unpredictable as a cancer therapy and further studies are necessary to determine the role of this agent in the tumor microenvironment.

  20. Optimization of adaptive radiation therapy in cervical cancer: Solutions for photon and proton therapy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van de Schoot, A.J.A.J.

    2016-01-01

    In cervical cancer radiation therapy, an adaptive strategy is required to compensate for interfraction anatomical variations in order to achieve adequate dose delivery. In this thesis, we have aimed at optimizing adaptive radiation therapy in cervical cancer to improve treatment efficiency and

  1. Radiation therapy of newly diagnosed, advanced prostatic cancer and hormonally relapsed prostatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suzuki, Minoru; Fujiwara, Kazuhisa; Hayakawa, Katsumi; Hida, Shuichi

    1994-01-01

    Ten patients with newly diagnosed, advanced prostatic cancer were treated with radiotherapy and hormone therapy to improve tumor control and survival. Eight patients with hormonally relapsed prostatic cancer were treated with radiotherapy to improve their quality of life. Local control of the tumor was achieved in 9 of 10 patients with newly diagnosed, advanced prostatic cancer. Five of eight patients with hormonally relapsed prostatic cancer obtained improved quality of life. Combined radiotherapy and hormone therapy were effective in the treatment of newly diagnosed, advanced prostatic cancer, and radiotherapy was useful for improving the quality of life of patients with hormonally relapsed prostatic cancer. (author)

  2. Inflammation as target in cancer therapy.

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Marelli, G.; Sica, A.; Vannucci, Luca; Allavena, P.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 35, August 2017 (2017), s. 57-65 ISSN 1471-4892 Institutional support: RVO:61388971 Keywords : cancer therapy * cancer-promoting inflammation * Tumour-Associated Macrophages Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology OBOR OECD: Microbiology Impact factor: 5.363, year: 2016

  3. [Multilateral Strategies Utilizing Exosomes for Cancer Therapy].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishida-Aoki, Nao; Ochiya, Takahiro

    2017-05-01

    Exosomes are nano-sized extracellular vesicles which transfer their components such as RNA, DNA, and proteins from one cell to another cell. The components are released to the cytoplasm of the recipient cells, having an effect on the cells. Cancerderived exosomes promote cancer progression, invasion, gain of drug resistance, and metastasis. Recently, according to their characteristics, it is expected to apply exosomes to cancer therapies, such as utilizing exosomes as drug delivery systems(DDS) for anticancer drugs and as cancer vaccines to enhance immunity to cancer cells. More, as the cancer-derived exosomes have cancer-promoting effects on multiple stages, inhibiting the function of the cancer-derived exosomes would be helpful to cancer therapies by suppressing cancer progression. DDS and cancer vaccines utilizing exosomes are now undergoing clinical studies, although DDS is suffering from loading efficiency. Treatments by inhibiting the functions of cancer-derived exosomes have still only few reports at experimental levels. Recently, we showed in a mouse model that disruption of cancer-derived exosomes by antibodies could suppress lung metastasis of the human breast cancer cells. Exosomes will provide us the multiple strategies to fight with cancer, which can be applied to cancers from many organs. It is important to confirm safety and overcome technical problems to bring exosomes in practical use.

  4. DOE Research Contributions to Radiation and Cancer Therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    dropdown arrow Site Map A-Z Index Menu Synopsis DOE Research Contributions to Radiation and Cancer Therapy Possible: DOE Advanced Biomedical Technology Research, page 10 Over the time span of many years, DOE's research has made many contributions to radiation and cancer therapy, including PEREGRINE and Boron Neutron

  5. Radiotherapy combined with hormonal therapy in prostate cancer: the state of the art

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Piotr Milecki

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Piotr Milecki1,2, Piotr Martenka1, Andrzej Antczak3, Zbigniew Kwias31Department of Radiotherapy, Greater Poland Cancer Center, Poznan, Poland; 2Department of Electroradiology, Medical University, Poznan, Poland; 3Chair of Urology, Medical University, Poznan, PolandAbstract: Androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT is used routinely in combination with definitive external beam radiation therapy (EBRT in patients with high-risk clinically localized or locally advanced disease. The combined treatment (ADT–EBRT also seems to play a significant role in improving treatment results in the intermediate-risk group of prostate cancer patients. On the other hand, there is a growing body of evidence that treatment with ADT can be associated with serious and lifelong adverse events including osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and many others. Almost all ADT adverse events are time dependant and tend to increase in severity with prolongation of hormonal manipulation. Therefore, it is crucial to clearly state the optimal schedule for ADT in combination with EBRT, that maintaining the positive effect on treatment efficacy would keep the adverse events risk at reasonable level. To achieve this goal, treatment schedule may have to be highly individualized on the basis of the patient-specific potential vulnerability to adverse events. In this study, the concise and evidence-based review of current literature concerning the general rationales for combining radiotherapy and hormonal therapy, its mechanism, treatment results, and toxicity profile is presented.Keywords: prostate cancer, radiotherapy, androgen deprivation, combined treatment

  6. Therapy of pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takeda, Yutaka; Kitagawa, Toru; Nakamori, Shoji

    2009-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most difficult diseases to cure. Japan pancreas society guidelines for management of pancreatic cancer indicate therapeutic algorithm according to the clinical stage. For locally limited pancreatic cancer (cStage I, II, III in Japanese classification system), surgical resection is recommended, however prognosis is still poor. Major randomized controlled trials of resected pancreatic cancer indicates that adjuvant chemotherapy is superior to observation and gemcitabine is superior to 5-fluorouracil (FU). For locally advanced resectable pancreatic cancer (cStage IVa in Japanese classification system (JCS)), we perform neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Phase I study established a recommended dose of 800 mg gemcitabine and radiation dose of 36 Gy. For locally advanced nonresectable pancreatic cancer (cStage IVa in JCS), chemoradiotherapy followed by chemotherapy is recommended. Although pancreatic cancer is chemotherapy resistant tumor, systemic chemotherapy is recommended for metastatic pancreatic cancer (cStage IVb in JCS). Single-agent gemcitabine is the standard first line agent for the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer. Meta-analysis of chemotherapy showed possibility of survival benefit of gemcitabine combination chemotherapy over gemcitabine alone. We hope gemcitabine combination chemotherapy or molecular targeted therapy will improve prognosis of pancreatic cancer in the future. (author)

  7. Nonviral Delivery Systems For Cancer Gene Therapy: Strategies And Challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shim, Gayong; Kim, Dongyoon; Le, Quoc-Viet; Park, Gyu Thae; Kwon, Taekhyun; Oh, Yu-Kyoung

    2018-01-19

    Gene therapy has been receiving widespread attention due to its unique advantage in regulating the expression of specific target genes. In the field of cancer gene therapy, modulation of gene expression has been shown to decrease oncogenic factors in cancer cells or increase immune responses against cancer. Due to the macromolecular size and highly negative physicochemical features of plasmid DNA, efficient delivery systems are an essential ingredient for successful gene therapy. To date, a variety of nanostructures and materials have been studied as nonviral gene delivery systems. In this review, we will cover nonviral delivery strategies for cancer gene therapy, with a focus on target cancer genes and delivery materials. Moreover, we will address current challenges and perspectives for nonviral delivery-based cancer gene therapeutics. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  8. Oral Complications and Management Strategies for Patients Undergoing Cancer Therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    With cancer survival rate climbing up over the past three decades, quality of life for cancer patients has become an issue of major concern. Oral health plays an important part in one's overall quality of life. However, oral health status can be severely hampered by side effects of cancer therapies including surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Moreover, prevention and treatment of these complications are often overlooked in clinical practice. The present paper aims at drawing health care professionals' attention to oral complications associated with cancer therapy by giving a comprehensive review. Brief comments on contemporary cancer therapies will be given first, followed by detailed description of oral complications associated with cancer therapy. Finally, a summary of preventive strategies and treatment options for common oral complications including oral mucositis, oral infections, xerostomia, and dysgeusia will be given. PMID:24511293

  9. Radiation Dose to the Esophagus From Breast Cancer Radiation Therapy, 1943-1996: An International Population-Based Study of 414 Patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lamart, Stephanie; Stovall, Marilyn; Simon, Steven L.; Smith, Susan A.; Weathers, Rita E.; Howell, Rebecca M.; Curtis, Rochelle E.; Aleman, Berthe M.P.; Travis, Lois; Kwon, Deukwoo; Morton, Lindsay M.

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: To provide dosimetric data for an epidemiologic study on the risk of second primary esophageal cancer among breast cancer survivors, by reconstructing the radiation dose incidentally delivered to the esophagus of 414 women treated with radiation therapy for breast cancer during 1943-1996 in North America and Europe. Methods and Materials: We abstracted the radiation therapy treatment parameters from each patient’s radiation therapy record. Treatment fields included direct chest wall (37% of patients), medial and lateral tangentials (45%), supraclavicular (SCV, 64%), internal mammary (IM, 44%), SCV and IM together (16%), axillary (52%), and breast/chest wall boosts (7%). The beam types used were 60 Co (45% of fields), orthovoltage (33%), megavoltage photons (11%), and electrons (10%). The population median prescribed dose to the target volume ranged from 21 Gy to 40 Gy. We reconstructed the doses over the length of the esophagus using abstracted patient data, water phantom measurements, and a computational model of the human body. Results: Fields that treated the SCV and/or IM lymph nodes were used for 85% of the patients and delivered the highest doses within 3 regions of the esophagus: cervical (population median 38 Gy), upper thoracic (32 Gy), and middle thoracic (25 Gy). Other fields (direct chest wall, tangential, and axillary) contributed substantially lower doses (approximately 2 Gy). The cervical to middle thoracic esophagus received the highest dose because of its close proximity to the SCV and IM fields and less overlying tissue in that part of the chest. The location of the SCV field border relative to the midline was one of the most important determinants of the dose to the esophagus. Conclusions: Breast cancer patients in this study received relatively high incidental radiation therapy doses to the esophagus when the SCV and/or IM lymph nodes were treated, whereas direct chest wall, tangentials, and axillary fields contributed lower doses

  10. Radiation dose to the esophagus from breast cancer radiation therapy, 1943-1996: an international population-based study of 414 patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamart, Stephanie; Stovall, Marilyn; Simon, Steven L; Smith, Susan A; Weathers, Rita E; Howell, Rebecca M; Curtis, Rochelle E; Aleman, Berthe M P; Travis, Lois; Kwon, Deukwoo; Morton, Lindsay M

    2013-07-15

    To provide dosimetric data for an epidemiologic study on the risk of second primary esophageal cancer among breast cancer survivors, by reconstructing the radiation dose incidentally delivered to the esophagus of 414 women treated with radiation therapy for breast cancer during 1943-1996 in North America and Europe. We abstracted the radiation therapy treatment parameters from each patient's radiation therapy record. Treatment fields included direct chest wall (37% of patients), medial and lateral tangentials (45%), supraclavicular (SCV, 64%), internal mammary (IM, 44%), SCV and IM together (16%), axillary (52%), and breast/chest wall boosts (7%). The beam types used were (60)Co (45% of fields), orthovoltage (33%), megavoltage photons (11%), and electrons (10%). The population median prescribed dose to the target volume ranged from 21 Gy to 40 Gy. We reconstructed the doses over the length of the esophagus using abstracted patient data, water phantom measurements, and a computational model of the human body. Fields that treated the SCV and/or IM lymph nodes were used for 85% of the patients and delivered the highest doses within 3 regions of the esophagus: cervical (population median 38 Gy), upper thoracic (32 Gy), and middle thoracic (25 Gy). Other fields (direct chest wall, tangential, and axillary) contributed substantially lower doses (approximately 2 Gy). The cervical to middle thoracic esophagus received the highest dose because of its close proximity to the SCV and IM fields and less overlying tissue in that part of the chest. The location of the SCV field border relative to the midline was one of the most important determinants of the dose to the esophagus. Breast cancer patients in this study received relatively high incidental radiation therapy doses to the esophagus when the SCV and/or IM lymph nodes were treated, whereas direct chest wall, tangentials, and axillary fields contributed lower doses. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  11. Radiation Dose to the Esophagus From Breast Cancer Radiation Therapy, 1943-1996: An International Population-Based Study of 414 Patients

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lamart, Stephanie, E-mail: stephanie.lamart@nih.gov [Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland (United States); Stovall, Marilyn [Department of Radiation Physics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Simon, Steven L. [Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland (United States); Smith, Susan A.; Weathers, Rita E.; Howell, Rebecca M. [Department of Radiation Physics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Curtis, Rochelle E. [Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland (United States); Aleman, Berthe M.P. [Department of Radiotherapy, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Travis, Lois [Rubin Center for Cancer Survivorship and Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York (United States); Kwon, Deukwoo [Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miami, Florida (United States); Morton, Lindsay M. [Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland (United States)

    2013-07-15

    Purpose: To provide dosimetric data for an epidemiologic study on the risk of second primary esophageal cancer among breast cancer survivors, by reconstructing the radiation dose incidentally delivered to the esophagus of 414 women treated with radiation therapy for breast cancer during 1943-1996 in North America and Europe. Methods and Materials: We abstracted the radiation therapy treatment parameters from each patient’s radiation therapy record. Treatment fields included direct chest wall (37% of patients), medial and lateral tangentials (45%), supraclavicular (SCV, 64%), internal mammary (IM, 44%), SCV and IM together (16%), axillary (52%), and breast/chest wall boosts (7%). The beam types used were {sup 60}Co (45% of fields), orthovoltage (33%), megavoltage photons (11%), and electrons (10%). The population median prescribed dose to the target volume ranged from 21 Gy to 40 Gy. We reconstructed the doses over the length of the esophagus using abstracted patient data, water phantom measurements, and a computational model of the human body. Results: Fields that treated the SCV and/or IM lymph nodes were used for 85% of the patients and delivered the highest doses within 3 regions of the esophagus: cervical (population median 38 Gy), upper thoracic (32 Gy), and middle thoracic (25 Gy). Other fields (direct chest wall, tangential, and axillary) contributed substantially lower doses (approximately 2 Gy). The cervical to middle thoracic esophagus received the highest dose because of its close proximity to the SCV and IM fields and less overlying tissue in that part of the chest. The location of the SCV field border relative to the midline was one of the most important determinants of the dose to the esophagus. Conclusions: Breast cancer patients in this study received relatively high incidental radiation therapy doses to the esophagus when the SCV and/or IM lymph nodes were treated, whereas direct chest wall, tangentials, and axillary fields contributed lower

  12. Current status of gene therapy for breast cancer: progress and challenges

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    McCrudden CM

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Cian M McCrudden, Helen O McCarthySchool of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, UKAbstract: Breast cancer is characterized by a series of genetic mutations and is therefore ideally placed for gene therapy intervention. The aim of gene therapy is to deliver a nucleic acid-based drug to either correct or destroy the cells harboring the genetic aberration. More recently, cancer gene therapy has evolved to also encompass delivery of RNA interference technologies, as well as cancer DNA vaccines. However, the bottleneck in creating such nucleic acid pharmaceuticals lies in the delivery. Deliverability of DNA is limited as it is prone to circulating nucleases; therefore, numerous strategies have been employed to aid with biological transport. This review will discuss some of the viral and nonviral approaches to breast cancer gene therapy, and present the findings of clinical trials of these therapies in breast cancer patients. Also detailed are some of the most recent developments in nonviral approaches to targeting in breast cancer gene therapy, including transcriptional control, and the development of recombinant, multifunctional bio-inspired systems. Lastly, DNA vaccines for breast cancer are documented, with comment on requirements for successful pharmaceutical product development.Keywords: breast cancer, gene therapy, nonviral, clinical trial

  13. A meta-analysis of the efficacy of cognitive behavior therapy on quality of life and psychological health of breast cancer survivors and patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ye, Mengfei; Du, Kanghui; Zhou, Jingying; Zhou, Quanqian; Shou, Mengna; Hu, Baiqi; Jiang, Panruo; Dong, Nan; He, Luying; Liang, Shenglin; Yu, Chaoyang; Zhang, Jian; Ding, Zhinan; Liu, Zheng

    2018-03-02

    The aim of this study was to examine the effect of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) on quality of life (QOL) and psychological health of breast cancer survivors and patients. A total of 1289 references were examined from an overall literature search in PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Randomized controlled trials assessing the efficacy of CBT compared with a range of comparators in cancer survivors. We assessed the effect of CBT by using the standardized mean difference as effect size. Among 1289 abstracts and 292 full-text articles reviewed, 10 studies were included. At the posttreatment period, the pooled effect size for CBT on QOL was 0.57 (95% CI, 0.44 to 0.69; P therapy is an effective therapy for psychological symptoms of cancer survivors and patients, with meaningfully clinical effect sizes. These findings suggested that CBT should be used as the intervention for breast cancer survivors and patients when possible. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  14. Nanomedicine for cancer therapy from chemotherapeutic to hyperthermia-based therapy

    CERN Document Server

    Kumar, Piyush

    2017-01-01

    This Brief focuses on the cancer therapy available till date, from conventional drug delivery to nanomedicine in clinical trial. In addition, it reports on future generation based nanotherapeutics and cancer theranostic agent for effective therapeutic diagnosis and treatment. Breast cancer was chosen as the model system in this review. The authors give emphasis to multiple drug resistance (MDR) and its mechanism and how to overcome it using the nanoparticle approach. .

  15. Accompanying therapy with melatonin at radiation therapy for uterine body cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prokhach, N.E.; Sorochan, P.P.; Gromakova, Yi.A.; Krugova, M.; Sukhyin, V.S.

    2011-01-01

    The results of treatment for uterine body cancer using post-operative radiation therapy (RT) accompanied by melatonin administration are analyzed. Accompanying therapy with melatonin limited negative RT influence on hematological and immune indices and prevented aggravation of quality of life.

  16. Radioactivity: risk and hope. Workshop in memory of Maria Sklodowska-Curie. Book of abstracts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1997-01-01

    The abstracts presented in this booklet show accomplishments of the participants in radiobiology and neutron cancer therapy. Subject of many works is cellular response to ionizing radiations (apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, aberrations, mutations, carcinogenesis). Radiation induced DNA damages (monitored using micronucleus assay, comet assay and counting of chromosome aberrations) and DNA repair in human lymphocytes was investigated. Several works concerned application of neutrons in the therapy of neoplasms

  17. Radioactivity: risk and hope. Workshop in memory of Maria Sklodowska-Curie. Book of abstracts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1997-12-31

    The abstracts presented in this booklet show accomplishments of the participants in radiobiology and neutron cancer therapy. Subject of many works is cellular response to ionizing radiations (apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, aberrations, mutations, carcinogenesis). Radiation induced DNA damages (monitored using micronucleus assay, comet assay and counting of chromosome aberrations) and DNA repair in human lymphocytes was investigated. Several works concerned application of neutrons in the therapy of neoplasms

  18. Third-line therapy for metastatic colorectal cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gundgaard, M.G.; Ehrnrooth, E.; Sørensen, Jens Benn

    2008-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The past years' therapy for colorectal cancer has evolved rapidly with the introduction of novel cytotoxic agents such as irinotecan, capecitabine and oxaliplatin. Further advances have been achieved with the integration of targeted agents such as bevacizumab, cetuximab and recently......, panitumumab. As a result, third-line treatment is now a necessary step in the optimal treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (MCRC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a literature review of English language publications on third-line therapy for MCRC from January 2000 to April 2007. Data......OS of 16 months. With irinotecan and 5-FU, mOS around 8 months were reported and with cetuximab combined with irinotecan, the highest mOS was 9.8 months. CONCLUSION: Third-line therapy in advanced colorectal cancer may improve mOS for patients with MCRC. Therefore, randomized studies should be conducted...

  19. DNA repair mechanisms in cancer development and therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torgovnick, Alessandro; Schumacher, Björn

    2015-01-01

    DNA damage has been long recognized as causal factor for cancer development. When erroneous DNA repair leads to mutations or chromosomal aberrations affecting oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, cells undergo malignant transformation resulting in cancerous growth. Genetic defects can predispose to cancer: mutations in distinct DNA repair systems elevate the susceptibility to various cancer types. However, DNA damage not only comprises a root cause for cancer development but also continues to provide an important avenue for chemo- and radiotherapy. Since the beginning of cancer therapy, genotoxic agents that trigger DNA damage checkpoints have been applied to halt the growth and trigger the apoptotic demise of cancer cells. We provide an overview about the involvement of DNA repair systems in cancer prevention and the classes of genotoxins that are commonly used for the treatment of cancer. A better understanding of the roles and interactions of the highly complex DNA repair machineries will lead to important improvements in cancer therapy.

  20. DNA Repair Mechanisms in Cancer Development and Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alessandro eTorgovnick

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available DNA damage has been long recognized as causal factor for cancer development. When erroneous DNA repair leads to mutations or chromosomal aberrations affecting oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, cells undergo malignant transformation resulting in cancerous growth. Genetic defects can predispose to cancer: Mutations in distinct DNA repair systems elevate the susceptibility to various cancer types. However, DNA damage not only comprises a root cause for cancer development but also continues to provide an important avenue for chemo- and radiotherapy. Since the beginning of cancer therapy, genotoxic agents have been applied that trigger DNA damage checkpoints that halt the growth and trigger the apoptotic demise of cancer cells. We provide an overview about the involvement of DNA repair systems in cancer prevention and the classes of genotoxins that are commonly used for the treatment of cancer. A better understanding of the roles and interactions of the highly complex DNA repair machineries will lead to important improvements in cancer therapy.

  1. DNA origami applications in cancer therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Udomprasert, Anuttara; Kangsamaksin, Thaned

    2017-08-01

    Due to the complexity and heterogeneity of cancer, the development of cancer diagnosis and therapy is still progressing, and a complete understanding of cancer biology remains elusive. Recently, cancer nanomedicine has gained much interest as a promising diagnostic and therapeutic strategy, as a wide range of nanomaterials possess unique physical properties that can render drug delivery systems safer and more effective. Also, targeted drug delivery and precision medicine have now become a new paradigm in cancer therapy. With nanocarriers, chemotherapeutic drugs could be directly delivered into target cancer cells, resulting in enhanced efficiency with fewer side-effects. DNA, a biomolecule with molecular self-assembly properties, has emerged as a versatile nanomaterial to construct multifunctional platforms; DNA nanostructures can be modified with functional groups to improve their utilities as biosensors or drug carriers. Such applications have become possible with the advent of the scaffolded DNA origami method. This breakthrough technique in structural DNA nanotechnology provides an easier and faster way to construct DNA nanostructures with various shapes. Several experiments proved that DNA origami nanostructures possess abilities to enhance efficacies of chemotherapy, reduce adverse side-effects, and even circumvent drug resistance. Here, we highlight the principles of the DNA origami technique and its applications in cancer therapeutics and discuss current challenges and opportunities to improve cancer detection and targeted drug delivery. © 2017 The Authors. Cancer Science published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.

  2. Hormones and tumour therapy: current clinical status and future developments in endocrine therapy of breast cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Szepesi, T.; Schratter-Sehn, A.U.

    1982-01-01

    Postoperative adjuvant hormone therapy and hormone therapy in disseminated breast cancer will be discussed systematically. The classical ablative and additive endocrine therapeutic measures - with the exception of ovarectomy and gestagen therapy - are increasinlgy being replaced by antagonists. Individual chapters discuss recent experience with combined hormone-radiotherapy or hormone-chemotherapy. In addition, a successful therapy scheme for the treatment of disseminated breast cancer will be presented. (Author)

  3. Targeted Therapy for Breast Cancer Prevention

    Science.gov (United States)

    den Hollander, Petra; Savage, Michelle I.; Brown, Powel H.

    2013-01-01

    With a better understanding of the etiology of breast cancer, molecularly targeted drugs have been developed and are being testing for the treatment and prevention of breast cancer. Targeted drugs that inhibit the estrogen receptor (ER) or estrogen-activated pathways include the selective ER modulators (tamoxifen, raloxifene, and lasofoxifene) and aromatase inhibitors (AIs) (anastrozole, letrozole, and exemestane) have been tested in preclinical and clinical studies. Tamoxifen and raloxifene have been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer and promising results of AIs in breast cancer trials, suggest that AIs might be even more effective in the prevention of ER-positive breast cancer. However, these agents only prevent ER-positive breast cancer. Therefore, current research is focused on identifying preventive therapies for other forms of breast cancer such as human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC, breast cancer that does express ER, progesterone receptor, or HER2). HER2-positive breast cancers are currently treated with anti-HER2 therapies including trastuzumab and lapatinib, and preclinical and clinical studies are now being conducted to test these drugs for the prevention of HER2-positive breast cancers. Several promising agents currently being tested in cancer prevention trials for the prevention of TNBC include poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors, vitamin D, and rexinoids, both of which activate nuclear hormone receptors (the vitamin D and retinoid X receptors). This review discusses currently used breast cancer preventive drugs, and describes the progress of research striving to identify and develop more effective preventive agents for all forms of breast cancer. PMID:24069582

  4. Estrogen Signaling in Lung Cancer: An Opportunity for Novel Therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baik, Christina S.; Eaton, Keith D.

    2012-01-01

    Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in U.S. and represents a major public health burden. Epidemiologic data have suggested that lung cancer in women may possess different biological characteristics compared to men, as evidenced by a higher proportion of never-smokers among women with lung cancer. Emerging data indicate that female hormones such as estrogen and progesterone play a significant role in lung carcinogenesis. It has been reported that estrogen and progesterone receptors are expressed in lung cancer cell lines as well as in patient-derived tumors. Hormone related risk factors such as hormone replacement therapy have been implicated in lung carcinogenesis and several preclinical studies show activity of anti-estrogen therapy in lung cancer. In this review, we summarize the emerging evidence for the role of reproductive hormones in lung cancer and implications for lung cancer therapy

  5. Targeting Siah2 as Novel Therapy for Metastatic Prostate Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-12-01

    deprivation therapy (ADT) or androgen receptor (AR) pathway inhibition (ARPI) but eventually develops into lethal castration resistance prostate cancer ...AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-14-1-0553 TITLE: Targeting Siah2 as Novel Therapy for Metastatic Prostate Cancer PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Martin Gleave...Siah2 as Novel Therapy for Metastatic Prostate Cancer 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-14-1-0553 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Martin Gleave 5d

  6. Intracellular delivery of potential therapeutic genes: prospects in cancer gene therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bakhtiar, Athirah; Sayyad, Mustak; Rosli, Rozita; Maruyama, Atsushi; Chowdhury, Ezharul H

    2014-01-01

    Conventional therapies for malignant cancer such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy are associated with poor survival rates owing to the development of cellular resistance to cancer drugs and the lack of targetability, resulting in unwanted adverse effects on healthy cells and necessitating the lowering of therapeutic dose with consequential lower efficacy of the treatment. Gene therapy employing different types of viral and non-viral carriers to transport gene(s) of interest and facilitating production of the desirable therapeutic protein(s) has tremendous prospects in cancer treatments due to the high-level of specificity in therapeutic action of the expressed protein(s) with diminished off-target effects, although cancer cell-specific delivery of transgene(s) still poses some challenges to be addressed. Depending on the potential therapeutic target genes, cancer gene therapy could be categorized into tumor suppressor gene replacement therapy, immune gene therapy and enzyme- or prodrug-based therapy. This review would shed light on the current progress of delivery of potentially therapeutic genes into various cancer cells in vitro and animal models utilizing a variety of viral and non-viral vectors.

  7. The influence of hormone therapies on colon and rectal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mørch, Lina Steinrud; Lidegaard, Øjvind; Keiding, Niels; Løkkegaard, Ellen; Kjær, Susanne Krüger

    2016-05-01

    Exogenous sex hormones seem to play a role in colorectal carcinogenesis. Little is known about the influence of different types or durations of postmenopausal hormone therapy (HT) on colorectal cancer risk. A nationwide cohort of women 50-79 years old without previous cancer (n = 1,006,219) were followed 1995-2009. Information on HT exposures was from the National Prescription Register and updated daily, while information on colon (n = 8377) and rectal cancers (n = 4742) were from the National Cancer Registry. Potential confounders were obtained from other national registers. Poisson regression analyses with 5-year age bands included hormone exposures as time-dependent covariates. Use of estrogen-only therapy and combined therapy were associated with decreased risks of colon cancer (adjusted incidence rate ratio 0.77, 95 % confidence interval 0.68-0.86 and 0.88, 0.80-0.96) and rectal cancer (0.83, 0.72-0.96 and 0.89, 0.80-1.00), compared to never users. Transdermal estrogen-only therapy implied more protection than oral administration, while no significant influence was found of regimen, progestin type, nor of tibolone. The benefit of HT was stronger for long-term hormone users; and hormone users were at lower risk of advanced stage of colorectal cancer, which seems supportive for a causal association between hormone therapy and colorectal cancer.

  8. Radiation therapy for metastatic lesions from breast cancer. Breast cancer metastasis to bone

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hayashi, Shinya; Hoshi, Hiroaki

    2000-01-01

    This paper summarizes radiation therapy in the treatment of bone metastases from breast cancer. Bone metastasis occurs in approximately 70% of breast cancer patients, and the goals of radiation therapy for bone metastasis are: palliation of pain, prevention and treatment of neuropathic symptoms, and prevention of pathologic fractures. The prognosis of bone metastasis from breast cancer is known to be better than that of bone metastasis from other solid tumors. Local-field radiation, hemibody (or wide-field) radiation, and systemic radionuclide treatment are the major methods of radiation therapy for pain palliation. Although many studies have shown that breast cancer is more responsive to radiation therapy for pain palliation than other solid tumors, some studies found no significant difference. Local-field radiation therapy, which includes multi-fraction irradiation and single-fraction irradiation, is currently the most generally used method of radiotherapy for pain palliation. Pain palliation has been reported to be achieved in approximately 80% to 90% of patients treated with local-field external beam irradiation. Three types of multi-fraction irradiation therapy are administered depending on the prognosis: high-dose fraction irradiation (36-50 Gy/12-25 Fr/2.4-5 wk), short-course irradiation (20-30 Gy/10-15 Fr/2-3 wk), and ultra-short-course irradiation (15-25 Gy/2-5 Fr/1 wk). The most common irradiation schedule is 30 Gy/10 Fr/2 wk. Although many reports indicate no significant difference in pain palliation according to the dose, the percentage of patients who show a complete cure is significantly higher in those treated with doses of 30 Gy or more, and thus the total irradiation dose should be at least 30 Gy. High-dose fraction irradiation is indicated for patients with an expected survival time of 6 months or more while short-course or single-fraction irradiation is indicated for those with an expected survival time of 3 months or more. Single

  9. Targeted therapy for localized non-small-cell lung cancer: a review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paleiron N

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Nicolas Paleiron,1 Olivier Bylicki,2 Michel André,1 Emilie Rivière,1 Frederic Grassin,1 Gilles Robinet,3 Christos Chouaïd4 On behalf of the GFPC Group 1Chest Department, HIA Clermont Tonnerre, Brest, 2Chest Department, HIA Percy, Clamart, 3Chest Department, CHU de Brest, Brest, 4GRC OncoEst, Université Paris XII, Paris, France Abstract: Targeted therapies have markedly improved the management of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC, but their efficacy in localized NSCLC is less well established. The aim of this review is to analyze trials of targeted therapies in localized NSCLC. In patients with wild-type EGFR, tyrosine kinase inhibitors have shown no efficacy in Phase III trials. Few data are available for EGFR-mutated localized NSCLC, as routine biological profiling is not recommended. Available studies are small, often retrospectives, and/or conducted in a single-center making it difficult to draw firm conclusions. Ongoing prospective Phase III trials are comparing adjuvant tyrosine kinase inhibitor administration versus adjuvant chemotherapy. By analogy with the indication of bevacizumab in advanced NSCLC, use of antiangiogenic agents in the perioperative setting is currently restricted to nonsquamous NSCLC. Several trials of adjuvant or neoadjuvant bevacizumab are planned or ongoing, but for the moment there is no evidence of efficacy. Data on perioperative use of biomarkers in early-stage NSCLC come mainly from small, retrospective, uncontrolled studies. Assessment of customized adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapy in localized NSCLC (with or without oncogenic driver mutations is a major challenge. Keywords: targeted therapy, non-small-cell lung cancer, adjuvant, neo-adjuvant, surgery 

  10. Castration-resistant prostate cancer: systemic therapy in 2012

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernando C. Maluf

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Prostate cancer is the most common non-cutaneous neoplasm in the male population worldwide. It is typically diagnosed in its early stages, and the disease exhibits a relatively indolent course in most patients. Despite the curability of localized disease with prostatectomy and radiation therapy, some patients develop metastatic disease and die. Although androgen deprivation is present in the majority of patients with metastatic prostate cancer, a state of androgen resistance eventually develops. Castration-resistant prostate cancer, defined when there is progression of disease despite low levels of testosterone, requires specialized care, and improved communication between medical and urologic oncologists has been identified as a key component in delivering effective therapy. Despite being considered a chemoresistant tumor in the past, the use of a prostate-specific antigen has paved the way for a new generation of trials for castration-resistant prostate cancer. Docetaxel is a life-prolonging chemotherapy that has been established as the standard first-line agent in two phase III clinical trials. Cabazitaxel, a novel taxane with activity in cancer models resistant to paclitaxel and docetaxel, is the only agent that has been compared to a chemotherapy control in a phase III clinical trial as a second-line therapy; it was found to prolong the overall survival of patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer previously treated with docetaxel when compared to mitoxantrone. Other agents used in this setting include abiraterone and sipuleucel-T, and novel therapies are continually being investigated in an attempt to improve the outcome for patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer.

  11. Monoclonal for cancer detection and therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baldwin, R.W.; Byers, V.S.

    1985-01-01

    This book contains 18 chapters. Some of the chapter titles are: Monoclonal Antibodies to Breast Cancer and Their Application; Clinical Applications of Radioimmunolocalisation; Localisation of Cancer of the Ovary and Metastases Using 123 I-labelled Monoclonal Antibody HMFG-2 Compared to Surgical Findings; Interest of Globotriaosylceramide Membrane Antigen as Target for Immunotoxins; and Analysis, Results and Future Prospective of the Therapeutic Use of Radiolabeled Antibody in Cancer Therapy

  12. Occupational Therapy for Adults With Cancer: Why It Matters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pergolotti, Mackenzi; Williams, Grant R; Campbell, Claudine; Munoz, Lauro A; Muss, Hyman B

    2016-03-01

    Adults with cancer may be at risk for limitations in functional status and quality of life (QOL). Occupational therapy is a supportive service with the specific mission to help people functionally engage in life as safely and independently as possible with the primary goal of improving QOL. Unfortunately, for people with cancer, occupational therapy remains underused. The overall purpose of this review is to provide an understanding of what occupational therapy is and its relevance to patients with cancer, highlight the reasons to refer, and, last, provide general advice on how to access services. ©AlphaMed Press.

  13. Differentiation of breast cancer stem cells by knockdown of CD44: promising differentiation therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pham Phuc V

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs are the source of breast tumors. Compared with other cancer cells, cancer stem cells show high resistance to both chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Targeting of BCSCs is thus a potentially promising and effective strategy for breast cancer treatment. Differentiation therapy represents one type of cancer stem-cell-targeting therapy, aimed at attacking the stemness of cancer stem cells, thus reducing their chemo- and radioresistance. In a previous study, we showed that down-regulation of CD44 sensitized BCSCs to the anti-tumor agent doxorubicin. This study aimed to determine if CD44 knockdown caused BCSCs to differentiate into breast cancer non-stem cells (non-BCSCs. Methods We isolated a breast cancer cell population (CD44+CD24- cells from primary cultures of malignant breast tumors. These cells were sorted into four sub-populations based on their expression of CD44 and CD24 surface markers. CD44 knockdown in the BCSC population was achieved using small hairpin RNA lentivirus particles. The differentiated status of CD44 knock-down BCSCs was evaluated on the basis of changes in CD44+CD24- phenotype, tumorigenesis in NOD/SCID mice, and gene expression in relation to renewal status, metastasis, and cell cycle in comparison with BCSCs and non-BCSCs. Results Knockdown of CD44 caused BCSCs to differentiate into non-BCSCs with lower tumorigenic potential, and altered the cell cycle and expression profiles of some stem cell-related genes, making them more similar to those seen in non-BCSCs. Conclusions Knockdown of CD44 is an effective strategy for attacking the stemness of BCSCs, resulting in a loss of stemness and an increase in susceptibility to chemotherapy or radiation. The results of this study highlight a potential new strategy for breast cancer treatment through the targeting of BCSCs.

  14. Perspectives of Nanotechnology in Minimally Invasive Therapy of Breast Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yamin Yang

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Breast cancer, the most common type of cancer among women in the western world, affects approximately one out of every eight women over their lifetime. In recognition of the high invasiveness of surgical excision and severe side effects of chemical and radiation therapies, increasing efforts are made to seek minimally invasive modalities with fewer side effects. Nanoparticles (<100 nm in size have shown promising capabilities for delivering targeted therapeutic drugs to cancer cells and confining the treatment mainly within tumors. Additionally, some nanoparticles exhibit distinct properties, such as conversion of photonic energy into heat, and these properties enable eradication of cancer cells. In this review, current utilization of nanostructures for cancer therapy, especially in minimally invasive therapy, is summarized with a particular interest in breast cancer.

  15. Nanotechnology Cancer Therapy and Treatment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nanotechnology offers the means to target therapies directly and selectively to cancerous cells and neoplasms. With these tools, clinicians can safely and effectively deliver chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and the next generation of immuno- and gene therapies to the tumor. Futhermore, surgical resection of tumors can be guided and enhanced by way of nanotechnology tools. Find out how nanotechnology will offer the next generation of our therapeutic arsenal to the patient.

  16. Targeting therapy-resistant cancer stem cells by hyperthermia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Oei, A L; Vriend, L E M; Krawczyk, P M

    2017-01-01

    Eradication of all malignant cells is the ultimate but challenging goal of anti-cancer treatment; most traditional clinically-available approaches fail because there are cells in a tumour that either escape therapy or become therapy-resistant. A subpopulation of cancer cells, the cancer stem cells...... are limited. Here, we argue that hyperthermia - a therapeutic approach based on local heating of a tumour - is potentially beneficial for targeting CSCs in solid tumours. First, hyperthermia has been described to target cells in hypoxic and nutrient-deprived tumour areas where CSCs reside and ionising...

  17. New developments in breast cancer therapy: role of iron oxide nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thoidingjam, Shivani; Bhan Tiku, Ashu

    2017-06-01

    Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of deaths in females worldwide. The high metastatic rate and drug resistance makes it one of the difficult cancers to treat. Early diagnosis and treatment are keys to better survival of breast cancer patients. Conventional treatment approaches like chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery suffer from major drawbacks. Novel approaches to improve cancer therapy with minimal damage to normal tissues and better quality of life for cancer patients need to be developed. Among various approaches used for treatment and diagnosis of breast cancer, use of nanoparticles (NPs) is coming up as a new and promising treatment regime. It can help overcome various limitations of conventional therapies like non-targeted effects, resistance to treatment, late diagnosis, etc. Among various nanoparticles studied for their biomedical applications, especially for breast cancer therapy, iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) are perhaps the most exciting due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, size and properties like superparamagnetism. Besides, IONPs are also the only metal oxide nanoparticles approved for clinical use in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) which is an added advantage for early detection. Therefore in this mini review, we are discussing the developments made in the use of IONPs for breast cancer therapy over the short span of the last five years i.e. 2010-2015. Since late diagnosis and therapy resistance are important drawbacks in breast cancer therapy, the potential of IONPs to overcome these limitations are also evaluated.

  18. Cancer therapy leading to state of cancer metabolism depression for efficient operation of small dosage cytotoxic drugs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ponizovskiy MR

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available “Prolonged medical starvation” as the method of cancer therapy was borrowed from folk healers Omelchenko A and Breuss R. Author was convinced in efficiency of this method of cancer treatment via examination of cured patients and on own experience. The mechanism of this method of cancer therapy operates via Warburg effect targeting that promotes efficient cancer treatment with small cytotoxic drugs. Just it was described the mechanism of Warburg effect as well as mechanism transmutation of mitochondrial function in cancer metabolism which are exhibited in connection with operation of described method cancer therapy. There were described the biochemical and biophysical mechanisms of formations resistance to some cytotoxic drugs and recurrence cancer disease after disease remission which occur sometimes as result of treatment with great dosage of cytotoxic drugs. Also it was described the benefits of use the method “Prolonged medical starvation” with decreased dosage of cytotoxic drugs for cancer treatment. The significance of this work that it was substantiated the mechanism operation of combination “Prolonged medical starvation” with small dosages cytotoxic drugs of cancer treatment, which mechanism leads to prevention recurrence cancer disease and resistance to anticancer drugs in comparison with intensive anticancer chemotherapy with great dosages of cytotoxic drugs in cancer therapy. Also the offered concepts of cancer therapy mechanism gave possibility to explain mechanisms of some results of experiments eliminating the doubts of the authors these experiments.

  19. Occupational Therapy's Role in Cancer Survivorship as a Chronic Condition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baxter, Mary Frances; Newman, Robin; Longpré, Sheila M; Polo, Katie M

    Improved medical care has resulted in a documented increase in cancer survivors in the United States. Cancer survivors face challenges in participation across all facets of life as a result of the cancer and subsequent cancer treatments. Long-term and late-term sequelae can result in impairments in neurological systems, decreased stamina, loss of range of motion, and changes in sensation and cognition. These impairments are often long lasting, which categorizes cancer survivorship as a chronic condition. This categorization presents treatment challenges, especially in creating rehabilitation and habilitation service options that support cancer survivors. Occupational therapy provides a unique focus that can benefit cancer survivors as they face limitations in participation in all aspects of daily living. Research, advocacy, and education efforts are needed to focus on the specific rehabilitation and habilitation needs of cancer survivors to increase access to occupational therapy's distinct value. Copyright © 2017 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

  20. Bacteria as vectors for gene therapy of cancer.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Baban, Chwanrow K

    2012-01-31

    Anti-cancer therapy faces major challenges, particularly in terms of specificity of treatment. The ideal therapy would eradicate tumor cells selectively with minimum side effects on normal tissue. Gene or cell therapies have emerged as realistic prospects for the treatment of cancer, and involve the delivery of genetic information to a tumor to facilitate the production of therapeutic proteins. However, there is still much to be done before an efficient and safe gene medicine is achieved, primarily developing the means of targeting genes to tumors safely and efficiently. An emerging family of vectors involves bacteria of various genera. It has been shown that bacteria are naturally capable of homing to tumors when systemically administered resulting in high levels of replication locally. Furthermore, invasive species can deliver heterologous genes intra-cellularly for tumor cell expression. Here, we review the use of bacteria as vehicles for gene therapy of cancer, detailing the mechanisms of action and successes at preclinical and clinical levels.

  1. Nanoscale theranostics for physical stimulus-responsive cancer therapies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Qian; Ke, Hengte; Dai, Zhifei; Liu, Zhuang

    2015-12-01

    Physical stimulus-responsive therapies often employing multifunctional theranostic agents responsive to external physical stimuli such as light, magnetic field, ultra-sound, radiofrequency, X-ray, etc., have been widely explored as novel cancer therapy strategies, showing encouraging results in many pre-clinical animal experiments. Unlike conventional cancer chemotherapy which often accompanies with severe toxic side effects, physical stimulus-responsive agents usually are non-toxic by themselves and would destruct cancer cells only under specific external stimuli, and thus could offer greatly reduced toxicity and enhanced treatment specificity. In addition, physical stimulus-responsive therapies can also be combined with other traditional therapeutics to achieve synergistic anti-tumor effects via a variety of mechanisms. In this review, we will summarize the latest progress in the development of physical stimulus-responsive therapies, and discuss the important roles of nanoscale theranostic agents involved in those non-conventional therapeutic strategies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Nano-scale processes behind ion-beam cancer therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Surdutovich, Eugene; Garcia, Gustavo; Mason, Nigel; Solov'yov, Andrey V.

    2016-04-01

    This topical issue collates a series of papers based on new data reported at the third Nano-IBCT Conference of the COST Action MP1002: Nanoscale Insights into Ion Beam Cancer Therapy, held in Boppard, Germany, from October 27th to October 31st, 2014. The Nano-IBCT COST Action was launched in December 2010 and brought together more than 300 experts from different disciplines (physics, chemistry, biology) with specialists in radiation damage of biological matter from hadron-therapy centres, and medical institutions. This meeting followed the first and the second conferences of the Action held in October 2011 in Caen, France and in May 2013 in Sopot, Poland respectively. This conference series provided a focus for the European research community and has highlighted the pioneering research into the fundamental processes underpinning ion beam cancer therapy. Contribution to the Topical Issue "COST Action Nano-IBCT: Nano-scale Processes Behind Ion-Beam Cancer Therapy", edited by Andrey V. Solov'yov, Nigel Mason, Gustavo Garcia and Eugene Surdutovich.

  3. Nanoparticles for cancer gene therapy: Recent advances, challenges, and strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Kui; Kievit, Forrest M; Zhang, Miqin

    2016-12-01

    Compared to conventional treatments, gene therapy offers a variety of advantages for cancer treatment including high potency and specificity, low off-target toxicity, and delivery of multiple genes that concurrently target cancer tumorigenesis, recurrence, and drug resistance. In the past decades, gene therapy has undergone remarkable progress, and is now poised to become a first line therapy for cancer. Among various gene delivery systems, nanoparticles have attracted much attention because of their desirable characteristics including low toxicity profiles, well-controlled and high gene delivery efficiency, and multi-functionalities. This review provides an overview on gene therapeutics and gene delivery technologies, and highlight recent advances, challenges and insights into the design and the utility of nanoparticles in gene therapy for cancer treatment. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  4. The detection, diagnosis and therapy of human lung cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1978-01-01

    The Cancergram covers clinical aspects of cancers of the lung and tracheo-bronchial tree, i.e., the lower respiratory tract. This includes primary lung cancer in both early and advanced disease status. The topic includes clinically relevant aspects of the prevention, detection, diagnosis, evaluation, and therapy of lung cancer. Certain aspects of metastatic lung disease treatment or therapy which involve aspects of interest to primary lung cancer are included. With certain exceptions, general pre-clinical or animal studies not directly related to the primary human disease are excluded

  5. Targeted Gene Therapy of Cancer: Second Amendment toward Holistic Therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barar, Jaleh; Omidi, Yadollah

    2013-01-01

    It seems solid tumors are developing smart organs with specialized cells creating specified bio-territory, the so called "tumor microenvironment (TME)", in which there is reciprocal crosstalk among cancer cells, immune system cells and stromal cells. TME as an intricate milieu also consists of cancer stem cells (CSCs) that can resist against chemotherapies. In solid tumors, metabolism and vascularization appears to be aberrant and tumor interstitial fluid (TIF) functions as physiologic barrier. Thus, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and gene therapy often fail to provide cogent clinical outcomes. It looms that it is the time to accept the fact that initiation of cancer could be generation of another form of life that involves a cluster of thousands of genes, while we have failed to observe all aspects of it. Hence, the current treatment modalities need to be re-visited to cover all key aspects of disease using combination therapy based on the condition of patients. Perhaps personalized cluster of genes need to be simultaneously targeted.

  6. Targeted Gene Therapy of Cancer: Second Amendment toward Holistic Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaleh Barar

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available It seems solid tumors are developing smart organs with specialized cells creating specified bio-territory, the so called “tumor microenvironment (TME”, in which there is reciprocal crosstalk among cancer cells, immune system cells and stromal cells. TME as an intricate milieu also consists of cancer stem cells (CSCs that can resist against chemotherapies. In solid tumors, metabolism and vascularization appears to be aberrant and tumor interstitial fluid (TIF functions as physiologic barrier. Thus, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and gene therapy often fail to provide cogent clinical outcomes. It looms that it is the time to accept the fact that initiation of cancer could be generation of another form of life that involves a cluster of thousands of genes, while we have failed to observe all aspects of it. Hence, the current treatment modalities need to be re-visited to cover all key aspects of disease using combination therapy based on the condition of patients. Perhaps personalized cluster of genes need to be simultaneously targeted.

  7. Enhancing Cold Atmospheric Plasma Treatment Efficiency for Cancer Therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Xiaoqian

    To improve efficiency and safety of anti-cancer therapies the researchers and clinicians alike are prompted to develop targeted combined therapies that especially minimize damage to healthy tissues while eradicating the body of cancerous tissues. Previous research in cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) and cancer cell interaction has repeatedly proven that cold plasma induced cell death. In this study, we seek to integrate the medical application of CAP. We proposed and implemented 3 novel ideas to enhance efficacy and selectivity of cancer therapy. It is postulated that the reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) play a major role in the CAP cancer therapy. We determined a mechanism of CAP therapy on glioblastoma cells (U87) through an understanding of the composition of CAP, including output voltage, treatment time, and gas flow-rate. We varied the characteristics of the cold plasma in order to obtain different major species (such as O, OH, N2+, and N2 lines). "plasma dosage" D ~ Q * V * t. is defined, where D is the entire "plasma dosage"; Q is the flow rate of feeding gas; V is output voltage; t is treatment time. The proper CAP dosage caused 3-fold cell death in the U87 cells compared to the normal human astrocytes E6/E7 cells. We demonstrated there is a synergy between AuNPS and CAP in cancer therapy. Specifically, the concentration of AuNPs plays an important role on plasma therapy. At an optimal concentration, gold nanoparticles can significantly induce U87 cell death up to a 30% overall increase compared to the control group with the same plasma dosage but no AuNPs applied. The ROS intensity of the corresponding conditions has a reversed trend compared to cell viability. This matches with the theory that intracellular ROS accumulation results in oxidative stress, which further changes the intracellular pathways, causing damage to the proteins, lipids and DNA. Our results show that this synergy has great potential in improving the

  8. Validation of an educative manual for patients with head and neck cancer submitted to radiation therapy 1

    Science.gov (United States)

    da Cruz, Flávia Oliveira de Almeida Marques; Ferreira, Elaine Barros; Vasques, Christiane Inocêncio; da Mata, Luciana Regina Ferreira; dos Reis, Paula Elaine Diniz

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Objective: develop the content and face validation of an educative manual for patients with head and neck cancer submitted to radiation therapy. Method: descriptive methodological research. The Theory of Psychometrics was used for the validation process, developed by 15 experts in the theme area of the educative manual and by two language and publicity professionals. A minimum agreement level of 80% was considered to guarantee the validity of the material. Results: the items addressed in the assessment tool of the educative manual were divided in three blocks: objectives, structure and format, and relevance. Only one item, related to the sociocultural level of the target public, obtained an agreement rate manual proposed were attended to. This can contribute to the understanding of the therapeutic process the head and neck cancer patient is submitted to during the radiation therapy, besides supporting clinical practice through the nursing consultation. PMID:27305178

  9. Self-assembled albumin nanoparticles for combination therapy in prostate cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lian H

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Huibo Lian,1 Jinhui Wu,2 Yiqiao Hu,2 Hongqian Guo1 1Department of Urology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, 2State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China Abstract: Resistance to regular treatment strategies is a big challenge in the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer. Combination of photothermal and photodynamic therapy (PTT/PDT with chemotherapy offers unique advantages over monotherapy alone. However, free drugs, such as photosensitizers and chemotherapeutic agents, lack tumor-targeted accumulation and can be easily eliminated from the body. Moreover, most of the PTT drugs are hydrophobic and their organic solvents have in vivo toxicity, thereby limiting their potential in clinical translation. Herein, simple multifunctional nanoparticles (NPs using IR780 (a near-infrared dye and docetaxel (DTX-loaded nanoplatform based on human serum albumin (HSA (HSA@IR780@DTX was developed for targeted imaging and for PTT/PDT with chemotherapy for the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer treatment. In this platform, HSA is a biocompatible nanocarrier that binds to both DTX and IR780. DTX and IR780, as hydrophobic drug, can induce the self-assembly of HSA proteins. Transmission electron microscopic imaging showed that NPs formed by self-assembly are spherical with a smooth surface with a hydrodynamic diameter of 146.5±10.8 nm. The cytotoxicity of HSA@IR780@DTX NPs with or without laser irradiation in prostate cancer cells (22RV1 was determined via CCK-8 assay. The antitumor effect of HSA@IR780@DTX plus laser irradiation was better than either HSA@IR780@DTX without laser exposure or single PTT heating induced by HSA@IR780 NPs under near-infrared laser, suggesting a significant combined effect in comparison to monotherapy. Near-infrared fluorescence imaging showed that HSA@IR780@DTX NPs could preferentially

  10. Particles that fight cancer: the use of protons and carbon ions in cancer therapy

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN. Geneva

    2014-01-01

    Particles that fight cancer: the use of protons and carbon ions in cancer therapy Cancer is a major societal issue. A key challenge for cancer therapy is the complex and multifaceted nature of the disease, which calls for personalised treatment. Radiotherapy has been used to treat tumours for more than a century, and is still a staple in oncology: today, 50 % of cancer patients receive radiotherapy, half of them with curative intent. Hadrontherapy is one of the most technologically advanced methods of delivering radiation dose to the tumour while protecting surrounding healthy tissues. In addition, hadrontherapy can reach otherwise difficult to access deep-seated tumours and can be used for radio resistant tumours as in hypoxia. This year marks 60 years since the first patient was treated with protons in the US and 20 years since the use of carbon ions in Japan. Join us in learning about the journey of particle therapy in Japan and Europe, its challenges, clinical results and future prospects. Thursday 2...

  11. Photodynamic Cancer Therapy - Recent Advances

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abrahamse, Heidi

    2011-01-01

    The basic principle of the photodynamic effect was discovered over a hundred years ago leading to the pioneering work on PDT in Europe. It was only during the 1980s, however, when 'photoradiation therapy' was investigated as a possible treatment modality for cancer. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a photochemotherapeutic process which requires the use of a photosensitizer (PS) that, upon entry into a cancer cell is targeted by laser irradiation to initiate a series of events that contribute to cell death. PSs are light-sensitive dyes activated by a light source at a specific wavelength and can be classified as first or second generation PSs based on its origin and synthetic pathway. The principle of PS activation lies in a photochemical reaction resulting from excitation of the PS producing singlet oxygen which in turn reacts and damages cell organelles and biomolecules required for cell function and ultimately leading to cell destruction. Several first and second generation PSs have been studied in several different cancer types in the quest to optimize treatment. PSs including haematoporphyrin derivative (HpD), aminolevulinic acid (ALA), chlorins, bacteriochlorins, phthalocyanines, naphthalocyanines, pheophorbiedes and purpurins all require selective uptake and retention by cancer cells prior to activation by a light source and subsequent cell death induction. Photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) is based on the fluorescence effect exhibited by PSs upon irradiation and is often used concurrently with PDT to detect and locate tumours. Both laser and light emitting diodes (LED) have been used for PDT depending on the location of the tumour. Internal cancers more often require the use of laser light delivery using fibre optics as delivery system while external PDT often make use of LEDs. Normal cells have a lower uptake of the PS in comparison to tumour cells, however the acute cytotoxic effect of the compound on the recovery rate of normal cells is not known. Subcellular

  12. Bacterial Toxins for Oncoleaking Suicidal Cancer Gene Therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pahle, Jessica; Walther, Wolfgang

    For suicide gene therapy, initially prodrug-converting enzymes (gene-directed enzyme-producing therapy, GDEPT) were employed to intracellularly metabolize non-toxic prodrugs into toxic compounds, leading to the effective suicidal killing of the transfected tumor cells. In this regard, the suicide gene therapy has demonstrated its potential for efficient tumor eradication. Numerous suicide genes of viral or bacterial origin were isolated, characterized, and extensively tested in vitro and in vivo, demonstrating their therapeutic potential even in clinical trials to treat cancers of different entities. Apart from this, growing efforts are made to generate more targeted and more effective suicide gene systems for cancer gene therapy. In this regard, bacterial toxins are an alternative to the classical GDEPT strategy, which add to the broad spectrum of different suicide approaches. In this context, lytic bacterial toxins, such as streptolysin O (SLO) or the claudin-targeted Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin (CPE) represent attractive new types of suicide oncoleaking genes. They permit as pore-forming proteins rapid and also selective toxicity toward a broad range of cancers. In this chapter, we describe the generation and use of SLO as well as of CPE-based gene therapies for the effective tumor cell eradication as promising, novel suicide gene approach particularly for treatment of therapy refractory tumors.

  13. Radionuclide therapy of endocrine-related cancer; Nuklearmedizinische Therapie endokriner Tumoren

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kratochwil, C.; Giesel, F.L. [Universitaetsklinikum Heidelberg, Abteilung Nuklearmedizin, Heidelberg (Germany)

    2014-10-15

    This article gives an overview of the established radionuclide therapies for endocrine-related cancer that already have market authorization or are currently under evaluation in clinical trials. Radioiodine therapy is still the gold standard for differentiated iodine-avid thyroid cancer. In patients with bone and lung metastases (near) total remission is seen in approximately 50 % and the 15-year survival rate for these patients is approximately 90 %. In contrast to the USA, meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) therapy has market approval in Europe. According to the current literature, in the setting of advanced stage neuroblastoma and malignant pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma, radiological remission can be achieved in > 30 % and symptom control in almost 80 % of the treated patients. Somatostatin receptor targeted radionuclide therapies (e.g. with DOTATATE or DOTATOC) demonstrated promising results in phase 2 trials, reporting progression-free survival in the range of 24-36 months. A first phase 3 pivotal trial for intestinal carcinoids is currently recruiting and another trial for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors is planned. Radiopharmaceuticals based on glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP1) or minigastrins are in the early evaluation stage for application in the treatment of insulinomas and medullary thyroid cancer. In general, radiopharmaceutical therapy belongs to the group of so-called theranostics which means that therapy is tailored for individual patients based on molecular imaging diagnostics to stratify target positive or target negative tumor phenotypes. (orig.) [German] Dieser Artikel gibt einen Ueberblick ueber die etablierten sowie weitere vielversprechende, aktuell im Rahmen von Studien eingesetzte nuklearmedizinische Therapiemoeglichkeiten diverser endokrinologischer Neoplasien. Die Radiojodtherapie ist unveraendert die Therapie der Wahl beim differenzierten, jodspeichernden Schilddruesenkarzinom. Im metastasierten Stadium sind in ca. 50 % der Faelle noch

  14. A literature review about effectiveness of massage therapy for cancer pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Somani, Salima; Merchant, Samima; Lalani, Sharifa

    2013-11-01

    This literature review explores the effectiveness of massage therapy to reduce cancer pain. As part of the review, systematic literature search was carried out on various electronic databases and specialised journals. Included are 19 research-based articles and 8 review articles. The review suggests that cancer has become a common health problem in the world and most of the cancer patients are going through intense and unbearable pain. Studies have reported that most of the cancer patients' pain reduced with therapeutic massage. Seventy-three per cent of cancer patients use massage therapy in the USA. Few studies are available in the context of the developing world related to massage therapy and we could not find any study in the Pakistani context. There is a need to conduct an interventional study about the effectiveness of massage therapy to control cancer pain in developing countries such as Pakistan.

  15. Unilateral anterior uveitis complicating zoledronic acid therapy in breast cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    El Saghir Nagi S

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Zoledronic acid is very widely used in patients with metastatic bone disease and osteoporosis. Only one case of bilateral uveitis was recently reported related to its use. Case presentation We report the first case of severe unilateral anterior uveitis in a patient with breast cancer and an intraocular lens. Following zoledronic acid infusion, the patient developed severe and dramatic right eye pain with decreased visual acuity within 24 hours and was found to have a fibrinous anterior uveitis of moderate severity The patient was treated with topical prednisone and atropine eyedrops and recovered slowly over several months. Conclusion Internists, oncologists, endocrinologists, and ophtalmologists should be aware of uveitis as a possible complication of zoledronic acid therapy. Patients should be instructed to report immediately to their physicians and treatment with topical prednisone and atropine eyedrops should be instituted immediately at the onset of symptoms. This report documents anterior uveitis as a complication of zoledronic acid therapy. This reaction could be an idiosyncratic one but further research may shed more light on the etiology.

  16. Proton beam therapy how protons are revolutionizing cancer treatment

    CERN Document Server

    Yajnik, Santosh

    2013-01-01

    Proton beam therapy is an emerging technology with promise of revolutionizing the treatment of cancer. While nearly half of all patients diagnosed with cancer in the US receive radiation therapy, the majority is delivered via electron accelerators, where photons are used to irradiate cancerous tissue. Because of the physical properties of photon beams, photons may deposit energy along their entire path length through the body. On the other hand, a proton beam directed at a tumor travels in a straight trajectory towards its target, gives off most of its energy at a defined depth called the Bragg peak, and then stops. While photons often deposit more energy within the healthy tissues of the body than within the cancer itself, protons can deposit most of their cancer-killing energy within the area of the tumor. As a result, in the properly selected patients, proton beam therapy has the ability to improve cure rates by increasing the dose delivered to the tumor and simultaneously reduce side-effects by decreasing...

  17. Art therapy in cancer fight

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Érica Rodrigues D'Alencar

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Art therapy is the therapeutic use of artistic activity in the context of the professional relationship with people affected by disease, injury or by seeking personal development. This study aims to report the experience of art therapy activities with a group of patients and their caregivers in a university hospital. This is an experience report, in Fortaleza - CE, during September 2010 to February 2011. In the meetings, participated 49 people, who performed activities, using the methods of art therapy, like painting, cutting, drawing, collage, creative visualization and color therapy. In the assessments, after the groups, the participants demonstrated the effects of art therapy, which described that the intervention allowed speak from the process of facing life to cancer fight. It is concluded that the techniques of art therapy provided self-knowledge, self-esteem and redemption sense of well-being with relaxation, and promote happiness and reduce stress.

  18. Occupational Therapy for Adults With Cancer: Why It Matters

    OpenAIRE

    Pergolotti, Mackenzi; Williams, Grant R.; Campbell, Claudine; Munoz, Lauro A.; Muss, Hyman B.

    2016-01-01

    Adults with cancer may be at risk for limitations in functional status and quality of life (QOL). Occupational therapy is a supportive service with the specific mission to help people functionally engage in life as safely and independently as possible with the primary goal of improving QOL. Unfortunately, for people with cancer, occupational therapy remains underused. The overall purpose of this review is to provide an understanding of what occupational therapy is and its relevance to patient...

  19. Effect on Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy against gastric cancer in Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsuda, Momoko; Asaka, Masahiro; Kato, Mototsugu; Matsushima, Rumiko; Fujimori, Kenji; Akino, Kozo; Kikuchi, Shogo; Lin, Yingsong; Sakamoto, Naoya

    2017-10-01

    In Japan, there have been approximately 50 000 deaths from gastric cancer annually for over 40 years with little variation. It has been reported that most gastric cancers in Japan are caused by Helicobacter pylori infection. H. pylori eradication therapy was approved for patients with chronic gastritis by the Japanese national health insurance scheme in February 2013 for patients with an endoscopic diagnosis of chronic gastritis is positive for H. pylori. We examined the effect on gastric cancer death rate 4 years after expansion of health insurance coverage. We conducted an epidemiological study and analyzed trends in prescription for H. pylori eradication therapy. We used the electronic medical claims database from Hokkaido, Japan to evaluate the impact of expansion of national health insurance coverage for H. pylori eradication therapy on deaths from gastric cancer. Data on deaths from gastric cancer were obtained from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and the Cancer Statistics in Japan (2015). Analysis of electronic claims records was performed using the National Database, mainly focusing on Hokkaido. Prescriptions for H. pylori eradication therapy and the number of patients treated for gastric cancer were also extracted from the Hokkaido database. Approximately 1.5 million prescriptions for H. pylori eradication therapy were written annually. Gastric cancer deaths fell each year: 48 427 in 2013, 47 903 in 2014, 46 659 in 2015, and 45 509 in 2016, showing a significant decrease after expansion of insurance coverage for H. pylori eradication therapy (Ppylori eradication therapy increased markedly after approval of the gastritis indication by the national health insurance scheme and was associated with a significant decrease in gastric cancer deaths. © 2017 The Authors. Helicobacter Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Oligonucleotide-based theranostic nanoparticles in cancer therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shahbazi, Reza; Ozpolat, Bulent; Ulubayram, Kezban

    2016-01-01

    Theranostic approaches, combining the functionality of both therapy and imaging, have shown potential in cancer nanomedicine. Oligonucleotides such as small interfering RNA and microRNA, which are powerful therapeutic agents, have been effectively employed in theranostic systems against various cancers. Nanoparticles are used to deliver oligonucleotides into tumors by passive or active targeting while protecting the oligonucleotides from nucleases in the extracellular environment. The use of quantum dots, iron oxide nanoparticles and gold nanoparticles and tagging with contrast agents, like fluorescent dyes, optical or magnetic agents and various radioisotopes, has facilitated early detection of tumors and evaluation of therapeutic efficacy. In this article, we review the advantages of theranostic applications in cancer therapy and imaging, with special attention to oligonucleotide-based therapeutics. PMID:27102380

  1. Neutron therapy of resistant thyroid gland cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choynzonov, E. L.; Gribova, O. V.; Startseva, Zh. A.; Lisin, V. A.; Novikov, V. A.; Musabaeva, L. I.

    2017-09-01

    The purpose of this study was to analyze the results of the combined modality treatment and radiation therapy using 6.3 MeV fast neutrons c. The study included 45 patients with thyroid gland cancers who received the combined modality treatment and radiation therapy alone with the use of 6.3 MeV fast neutrons generated within U-120 cyclotron. The clinical trial of neutron-photon therapy used alone and in combination with the surgery for the patients with aggressive forms of thyroid cancer showed feasibility of increasing the effectiveness of treatment due to the reduction in the incidence of local recurrences. In addition, satisfactory treatment tolerance and absence of severe specific complications dictate the necessity of prospective studies to improve treatment outcomes.

  2. The therapy of gefitinib towards breast cancer partially through ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Abstract. Background: Breast cancer remains the leading reason of cancer death among women worldwide, and gefitinib is the effi- cient drug for breast cancer. Aims: To use targeted metabolomics method to elucidate the therapeutic mechanism of gefitinib through profiling the amino acids. Methods: Healthy women (n=56) ...

  3. Adoptive T cell cancer therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dzhandzhugazyan, Karine N.; Guldberg, Per; Kirkin, Alexei F.

    2018-06-01

    Tumour heterogeneity and off-target toxicity are current challenges of cancer immunotherapy. Karine Dzhandzhugazyan, Per Guldberg and Alexei Kirkin discuss how epigenetic induction of tumour antigens in antigen-presenting cells may form the basis for multi-target therapies.

  4. Risk-optimized proton therapy to minimize radiogenic second cancers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rechner, Laura A.; Eley, John G.; Howell, Rebecca M.; Zhang, Rui; Mirkovic, Dragan; Newhauser, Wayne D.

    2015-01-01

    Proton therapy confers substantially lower predicted risk of second cancer compared with photon therapy. However, no previous studies have used an algorithmic approach to optimize beam angle or fluence-modulation for proton therapy to minimize those risks. The objectives of this study were to demonstrate the feasibility of risk-optimized proton therapy and to determine the combination of beam angles and fluence weights that minimize the risk of second cancer in the bladder and rectum for a prostate cancer patient. We used 6 risk models to predict excess relative risk of second cancer. Treatment planning utilized a combination of a commercial treatment planning system and an in-house risk-optimization algorithm. When normal-tissue dose constraints were incorporated in treatment planning, the risk model that incorporated the effects of fractionation, initiation, inactivation, and repopulation selected a combination of anterior and lateral beams, which lowered the relative risk by 21% for the bladder and 30% for the rectum compared to the lateral-opposed beam arrangement. Other results were found for other risk models. PMID:25919133

  5. Radiation-Induced Second Cancer Risk Estimates From Radionuclide Therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bednarz, Bryan; Besemer, Abigail

    2017-09-01

    The use of radionuclide therapy in the clinical setting is expected to increase significantly over the next decade. There is an important need to understand the radiation-induced second cancer risk associated with these procedures. In this study the radiation-induced cancer risk in five radionuclide therapy patients was investigated. These patients underwent serial SPECT imaging scans following injection as part of a clinical trial testing the efficacy of a 131Iodine-labeled radiopharmaceutical. Using these datasets the committed absorbed doses to multiple sensitive structures were calculated using RAPID, which is a novel Monte Carlo-based 3D dosimetry platform developed for personalized dosimetry. The excess relative risk (ERR) for radiation-induced cancer in these structures was then derived from these dose estimates following the recommendations set forth in the BEIR VII report. The radiation-induced leukemia ERR was highest among all sites considered reaching a maximum value of approximately 4.5. The radiation-induced cancer risk in the kidneys, liver and spleen ranged between 0.3 and 1.3. The lifetime attributable risks (LARs) were also calculated, which ranged from 30 to 1700 cancers per 100,000 persons and were highest for leukemia and the liver for both males and females followed by radiation-induced spleen and kidney cancer. The risks associated with radionuclide therapy are similar to the risk associated with external beam radiation therapy.

  6. Adjuvant Therapy: Treatment to Keep Cancer from Returning

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... significant side effects, and these treatments don't benefit everyone. Types of cancer treatment that are used as adjuvant therapy include: Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells throughout ...

  7. Nuclear medicine. Abstracts; Nuklearmedizin 2000. Abstracts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anon.

    2000-07-01

    This issue of the journal contains the abstracts of the 183 conference papers as well as 266 posters presented at the conference. Subject fields covered are: Neurology, psychology, oncology, pediatrics, radiopharmacy, endocrinology, EDP, measuring equipment and methods, radiological protection, cardiology, and therapy. (orig./CB) [German] Die vorliegende Zeitschrift enthaelt die Kurzfassungen der 183 auf der Tagung gehaltenen Vortraege sowie der 226 praesentierten Poster, die sich mit den folgenden Themen befassten: Neurologie, Psychiatrie, Onkologie, Paediatrie, Radiopharmazie, Endokrinologie, EDV, Messtechnik, Strahlenschutz, Kardiologie sowie Therapie. (MG)

  8. Lineage plasticity-mediated therapy resistance in prostate cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blee, Alexandra M; Huang, Haojie

    2018-06-12

    Therapy resistance is a significant challenge for prostate cancer treatment in clinic. Although targeted therapies such as androgen deprivation and androgen receptor (AR) inhibition are effective initially, tumor cells eventually evade these strategies through multiple mechanisms. Lineage reprogramming in response to hormone therapy represents a key mechanism that is increasingly observed. The studies in this area have revealed specific combinations of alterations present in adenocarcinomas that provide cells with the ability to transdifferentiate and perpetuate AR-independent tumor growth after androgen-based therapies. Interestingly, several master regulators have been identified that drive plasticity, some of which also play key roles during development and differentiation of the cell lineages in the normal prostate. Thus, further study of each AR-independent tumor type and understanding underlying mechanisms are warranted to develop combinational therapies that combat lineage plasticity in prostate cancer.

  9. Assisted therapy with dogs in cancer services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-06-12

    Background [Figure: see text] Healthcare professionals are keen to find alternative therapies to reduce the stress of hospital admissions, especially in the treatment of cancer. Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) involves using animals to help improve patients' health and well-being, and can alleviate stressful situations.

  10. Familial breast cancer - targeted therapy in secondary and tertiary prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kast, Karin; Rhiem, Kerstin

    2015-02-01

    The introduction of an increasing number of individualized molecular targeted therapies into clinical routine mirrors their importance in modern cancer prevention and treatment. Well-known examples for targeted agents are the monoclonal antibody trastuzumab and the selective estrogen receptor modulator tamoxifen. The identification of an unaltered gene in tumor tissue in colon cancer (KRAS) is a predictor for the patient's response to targeted therapy with a monoclonal antibody (cetuximab). Targeted therapy for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer has become a reality with the approval of olaparib for platin-sensitive late relapsed BRCA-associated ovarian cancer in December 2014. This manuscript reviews the status quo of poly-ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) in the therapy of breast and ovarian cancer as well as the struggle for carboplatin as a potential standard of care for triple-negative and, in particular, BRCA-associated breast cancer. Details of the mechanism of action with information on tumor development are provided, and an outlook for further relevant research is given. The efficacy of agents against molecular targets together with the identification of an increasing number of cancer-associated genes will open the floodgates to a new era of treatment decision-making based on molecular tumor profiles. Current clinical trials involving patients with BRCA-associated cancer explore the efficacy of the molecular targeted therapeutics platinum and PARPi.

  11. Design and characteristics of cytotoxic fibroblast growth factor 1 conjugate for fibroblast growth factor receptor-targeted cancer therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Szlachcic A

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Anna Szlachcic, Malgorzata Zakrzewska, Michal Lobocki, Piotr Jakimowicz, Jacek Otlewski Department of Protein Engineering, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland Abstract: Fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs are attractive candidate cancer therapy targets as they are overexpressed in multiple types of tumors, such as breast, prostate, bladder, and lung cancer. In this study, a natural ligand of FGFR, an engineered variant of fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1V, was conjugated to a potent cytotoxic drug, monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE, and used as a targeting agent for cancer cells overexpressing FGFRs, similar to antibodies in antibody–drug conjugates. The FGF1V–valine–citrulline–MMAE conjugate showed a favorable stability profile, bound FGFRs on the cell surface specifically, and efficiently released the drug (MMAE upon cleavage by the lysosomal protease cathepsin B. Importantly, the conjugate showed a prominent cytotoxic effect toward cell lines expressing FGFR. FGF1V–vcMMAE was highly cytotoxic at concentrations even an order of magnitude lower than those found for free MMAE. This effect was FGFR-specific as cells lacking FGFR did not show any increased mortality. Keywords: fibroblast growth factor 1, FGF receptor, targeted cancer therapy, cytotoxic conjugates, FGFR-dependent cancer, MMAE, auristatin

  12. Triple-negative breast cancer: new perspectives for targeted therapies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomao F

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Federica Tomao,1 Anselmo Papa,2 Eleonora Zaccarelli,2 Luigi Rossi,2 Davide Caruso,2 Marina Minozzi,2 Patrizia Vici,3 Luigi Frati,4 Silverio Tomao21Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Policlinico “Umberto I”, Rome, 2Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Oncology Unit, Istituto Chirurgico Ortopedico Traumatologico, Latina, 3Division of Medical Oncology B, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy; 4Department of Molecular Medicine, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Policlinico “Umberto I”, Rome, ItalyAbstract: Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease, encompassing a large number of entities showing different morphological features and having clinical behaviors. It has became apparent that this diversity may be justified by distinct patterns of genetic, epigenetic, and transcriptomic aberrations. The identification of gene-expression microarray-based characteristics has led to the identification of at least five breast cancer subgroups: luminal A, luminal B, normal breast-like, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, and basal-like. Triple-negative breast cancer is a complex disease diagnosed by immunohistochemistry, and it is characterized by malignant cells not expressing estrogen receptors or progesterone receptors at all, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. Along with this knowledge, recent data show that triple-negative breast cancer has specific molecular features that could be possible targets for new biological targeted drugs. The aim of this article is to explore the use of new drugs in this particular setting, which is still associated with poor prognosis and high risk of distant recurrence and death.Keywords: basal-like breast cancer, estrogen–progesterone receptors, gene-expression microarray, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, chemotherapy, target therapy

  13. Cognitive Impairment in Men with Prostate Cancer Treated with Androgen Deprivation Therapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Maxine; Cole, Alexander P; Hanna, Nawar; Mucci, Lorelei A; Berry, Donna L; Basaria, Shehzad; Ahern, David K; Kibel, Adam S; Choueiri, Toni K; Trinh, Quoc-Dien

    2018-06-01

    Use of androgen deprivation therapy may increase the risk of cognitive impairment in men with prostate cancer. We performed a systematic review of the risk of overall cognitive impairment as an outcome in men receiving androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer. Studies were identified through PubMed®, MEDLINE®, PsycINFO®, Cochrane Library and Web of Knowledge/Science™. Articles were included if they 1) were published in English, 2) had subjects treated for prostate cancer with androgen deprivation therapy, 3) incorporated longitudinal comparisons and 4) used control groups. In addition, prospective studies were required to assess an established cognitive related end point using International Cognition and Cancer Task Force criteria defining impaired cognitive performance as scoring 1.5 or more standard deviations below published norms on 2 or more tests, or scoring 2.0 or more standard deviations below published norms on at least 1 test. The effect of androgen deprivation therapy on cognitive impairment was pooled using a random effects model. Of 221 abstracts 26 were selected for full text review, and 2 prospective and 4 retrospective studies were analyzed. Androgen deprivation therapy was not associated with overall cognitive impairment when the prospective cohort studies were pooled (OR 1.57, 95% CI 0.50 to 4.92, p = 0.44) with significant heterogeneity between estimates (I 2 = 83%). In retrospective data the relative risk of any cognitive impairment, including senile dementia and Alzheimer disease, was increased in men receiving androgen deprivation therapy, although the difference was not statistically significant (HR 1.28, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.76, p = 0.13) with moderate heterogeneity between estimates (I 2 = 67%). Analyses between overall cognitive impairment and use of androgen deprivation therapy defined according to International Cognition and Cancer Task Force criteria in a pooled analysis were inconclusive. In retrospective cohort studies the

  14. Hadron accelerators in cancer therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amaldi, U.; Silari, M.

    1997-01-01

    The application of hadron accelerators (protons and light ions) in cancer therapy is discussed. After a brief introduction on the rationale for the use of heavy charged particles in radiation therapy, a discussion is given on accelerator technology and beam delivery systems. Next, existing and planned facilities are briefly reviewed. The Italian Hadrontherapy Project (the largest project of this type in Europe) is then described, with reference to both the National Centre for Oncological Hadrontherapy and the design of two types of compact proton accelerators aimed at introducing proton therapy in a large number of hospitals. Finally, the radiation protection requirements are discussed. (author)

  15. Trends in intensity modulated radiation therapy use for locally advanced rectal cancer at National Comprehensive Cancer Network centers

    OpenAIRE

    Marsha Reyngold, MD, PhD; Joyce Niland, PhD; Anna ter Veer, MS; Tanios Bekaii-Saab, MD; Lily Lai, MD; Joshua E. Meyer, MD; Steven J. Nurkin, MD, MS; Deborah Schrag, MD, MPH; John M. Skibber, MD, FACS; Al B. Benson, MD; Martin R. Weiser, MD; Christopher H. Crane, MD; Karyn A. Goodman, MD, MS

    2018-01-01

    Purpose: Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) has been rapidly incorporated into clinical practice because of its technological advantages over 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (CRT). We characterized trends in IMRT utilization in trimodality treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer at National Comprehensive Cancer Network cancer centers between 2005 and 2011. Methods and materials: Using the prospective National Comprehensive Cancer Network Colorectal Cancer Database, ...

  16. Nanoparticle-based delivery of small interfering RNA: challenges for cancer therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miele E

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Evelina Miele,1,* Gian Paolo Spinelli,2,* Ermanno Miele,3 Enzo Di Fabrizio,3,6 Elisabetta Ferretti,4 Silverio Tomao,2 Alberto Gulino,1,5 1Department of Molecular Medicine, 2Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, 3Nanostructures, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego, 30, 16163 Genova, 4Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, 5Center for Life Nanoscience, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy, 6BIONEM lab, University of Magna Graecia, Campus S. Venuta, Viale Europa 88100 Catanzaro, Italy *These authors contributed equally to this workAbstract: During recent decades there have been remarkable advances and profound changes in cancer therapy. Many therapeutic strategies learned at the bench, including monoclonal antibodies and small molecule inhibitors, have been used at the bedside, leading to important successes. One of the most important advances in biology has been the discovery that small interfering RNA (siRNA is able to regulate the expression of genes, by a phenomenon known as RNA interference (RNAi. RNAi is one of the most rapidly growing fields of research in biology and therapeutics. Much research effort has gone into the application of this new discovery in the treatment of various diseases, including cancer. However, even though these molecules may have potential and strong utility, some limitations make their clinical application difficult, including delivery problems, side effects due to off-target actions, disturbance of physiological functions of the cellular machinery involved in gene silencing, and induction of the innate immune response. Many researchers have attempted to overcome these limitations and to improve the safety of potential RNAi-based therapeutics. Nanoparticles, which are nanostructured entities with tunable size, shape, and surface, as well as biological behavior, provide an ideal opportunity to modify current

  17. Nanomaterial-based drug delivery carriers for cancer therapy

    CERN Document Server

    Feng, Tao

    2017-01-01

    This brief summarizes different types of organic and inorganic nanomaterials for drug delivery in cancer therapy. It highlights that precisely designed nanomaterials will be the next-generation therapeutic agents for cancer treatment.

  18. The role of metastasis-directed therapy and local therapy of the primary tumor in the management of oligometastatic prostate cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jongchan; Park, Jee Soo; Ham, Won Sik

    2017-09-01

    Oligometastasis has been proposed as an intermediate stage of cancer spread between localized disease and widespread metastasis. Oligometastatic malignancy is now being diagnosed more frequently as the result of improvements in diagnostic modalities such as functional imaging. The importance of oligometastasis in managing metastatic prostate cancer is that it is possible to treat with a curative aim by metastasis-directed or local therapy in selected patients. Many studies have shown that these aggressive treatments lead to improved survival in other oligometastatic malignancies. However, few studies have shown definitive benefits of metastasis-directed or local therapy in oligometastatic prostate cancer. Review of the available studies suggests that stereotactic radiotherapy (RT) of metastatic lesions in oligorecurrent disease is a feasible and safe modality for managing oligometastatic prostate cancer. Also, stereotactic RT can delay the start of androgen deprivation therapy. Many retrospective studies of metastatic prostate cancer have shown that patients undergoing local therapy seem to have superior overall and cancer-specific survival compared with patients not receiving local therapy. Ongoing prospective randomized trials would be helpful to evaluate the role of local therapy in oligometastatic prostate cancer.

  19. The role of metastasis-directed therapy and local therapy of the primary tumor in the management of oligometastatic prostate cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jongchan Kim

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Oligometastasis has been proposed as an intermediate stage of cancer spread between localized disease and widespread metas-tasis. Oligometastatic malignancy is now being diagnosed more frequently as the result of improvements in diagnostic modalities such as functional imaging. The importance of oligometastasis in managing metastatic prostate cancer is that it is possible to treat with a curative aim by metastasis-directed or local therapy in selected patients. Many studies have shown that these aggressive treatments lead to improved survival in other oligometastatic malignancies. However, few studies have shown definitive benefits of metastasis-directed or local therapy in oligometastatic prostate cancer. Review of the available studies suggests that stereotac-tic radiotherapy (RT of metastatic lesions in oligorecurrent disease is a feasible and safe modality for managing oligometastatic prostate cancer. Also, stereotactic RT can delay the start of androgen deprivation therapy. Many retrospective studies of metastatic prostate cancer have shown that patients undergoing local therapy seem to have superior overall and cancer-specific survival compared with patients not receiving local therapy. Ongoing prospective randomized trials would be helpful to evaluate the role of local therapy in oligometastatic prostate cancer.

  20. Lipid Metabolism, Apoptosis and Cancer Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chunfa Huang

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Lipid metabolism is regulated by multiple signaling pathways, and generates a variety of bioactive lipid molecules. These bioactive lipid molecules known as signaling molecules, such as fatty acid, eicosanoids, diacylglycerol, phosphatidic acid, lysophophatidic acid, ceramide, sphingosine, sphingosine-1-phosphate, phosphatidylinositol-3 phosphate, and cholesterol, are involved in the activation or regulation of different signaling pathways. Lipid metabolism participates in the regulation of many cellular processes such as cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, survival, apoptosis, inflammation, motility, membrane homeostasis, chemotherapy response, and drug resistance. Bioactive lipid molecules promote apoptosis via the intrinsic pathway by modulating mitochondrial membrane permeability and activating different enzymes including caspases. In this review, we discuss recent data in the fields of lipid metabolism, lipid-mediated apoptosis, and cancer therapy. In conclusion, understanding the underlying molecular mechanism of lipid metabolism and the function of different lipid molecules could provide the basis for cancer cell death rationale, discover novel and potential targets, and develop new anticancer drugs for cancer therapy.

  1. Biliary stenting and anti-cancer therapy for unresectable hilar bile duct carcinomas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saito, Hiroya; Hokotate, Hirofumi; Takeuchi, Shyuhei; Takamura, Akio

    2007-01-01

    At present, although imaging diagnosis has been developed, most hilar bile duct cancer is still diagnosed at an advanced stage and its prognosis is generally poor. In hilar bile duct cancer, radiotherapy and other several therapies, for example-chemotherapy, arterial-infusion chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy, etc-are being performed for non-operative cases. But standard therapies for this cancer has not been established yet. On the other hand, metallic stents (MS) have been widely used to relieve biliary obstructions as an alternative to plastic prostheses and conventional drainage. The use of MS offers good palliation in hilar bile duct cancer, but patients selection is a key to obtain good results. In this article we reviewed previous studies and clinical trials regarding the anti-cancer therapy and biliary stenting for unresectable hilar bile duct cancer. And optimal therapeutic strategy for hilar bile duct cancer is proposed, primarily based on present views. (author)

  2. Current situation and problems of cancer-reproductive therapy from the standpoint of male reproductive therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shin, Takeshi; Tanaka, Takashi; Nishio, Koujiro; Arai, Manabu; Okada, Horoshi; Nozaki, Miwako; Kaji, Yasushi

    2017-01-01

    This paper reviewed the current situation and problems of cancer - reproductive therapy from the standpoint of male reproductive therapy. Common causes for male infertility include spermatogenic dysfunction, seminal duct dysfunction, and sexual dysfunction. Causes of male infertility in cancer patients include the presence of cancer itself, as well as pathological conditions due to surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy for cancer, namely spermatogenic dysfunction, seminal duct dysfunction, and sexual dysfunction. The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) presents the risk classification of infertility due to anti-cancer drugs or radiotherapy. Cancer treating physicians evaluate infertility risk associated with treatment according to this risk classification and provide patients with information. If a patient wishes to preserve fertility, it is recommended in ASCO's fertility preservation guidelines to introduce the facilities that can store frozen sperm. Questionnaire surveys on sperm cryopreservation to blood physician show that the description of sperm cryopreservation is made at only about two-thirds of facilities and there is a problem that the systemization of cryopreservation has not progressed. The only way to acquire a baby in a patient who has undergone cancer treatment without cryopreservation and became permanent azoospermia is microscopic testis sperm collection and microinsemination. (A.O.)

  3. The Implications of Cancer Stem Cells for Cancer Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wenjing Jiang

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are universally recognized as the most effective anti-cancer therapies. Despite significant advances directed towards elucidating molecular mechanisms and developing clinical trials, cancer still remains a major public health issue. Recent studies have showed that cancer stem cells (CSCs, a small subpopulation of tumor cells, can generate bulk populations of nontumorigenic cancer cell progeny through the self-renewal and differentiation processes. As CSCs are proposed to persist in tumors as a distinct population and cause relapse and metastasis by giving rise to new tumors, development of CSC-targeted therapeutic strategies holds new hope for improving survival and quality of life in patients with cancer. Therapeutic innovations will emerge from a better understanding of the biology and environment of CSCs, which, however, are largely unexplored. This review summarizes the characteristics, evidences and development of CSCs, as well as implications and challenges for cancer treatment.

  4. Eph receptor A10 has a potential as a target for a prostate cancer therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nagano, Kazuya; Yamashita, Takuya; Inoue, Masaki; Higashisaka, Kazuma; Yoshioka, Yasuo; Abe, Yasuhiro; Mukai, Yohei; Kamada, Haruhiko

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • EphA10 mRNA is overexpressed in breast, prostate and colon cancer cell lines. • EphA10 is overexpressed in clinical prostate tumors at mRNA and protein levels. • Anti-EphA10 antibodies were cytotoxic on EphA10-positive prostate cancer cells. - Abstract: We recently identified Eph receptor A10 (EphA10) as a novel breast cancer-specific protein. Moreover, we also showed that an in-house developed anti-EphA10 monoclonal antibody (mAb) significantly inhibited proliferation of breast cancer cells, suggesting EphA10 as a promising target for breast cancer therapy. However, the only other known report for EphA10 was its expression in the testis at the mRNA level. Therefore, the potency of EphA10 as a drug target against cancers other than the breast is not known. The expression of EphA10 in a wide variety of cancer cells was studied and the potential of EphA10 as a drug target was evaluated. Screening of EphA10 mRNA expression showed that EphA10 was overexpressed in breast cancer cell lines as well as in prostate and colon cancer cell lines. Thus, we focused on prostate cancers in which EphA10 expression was equivalent to that in breast cancers. As a result, EphA10 expression was clearly shown in clinical prostate tumor tissues as well as in cell lines at the mRNA and protein levels. In order to evaluate the potential of EphA10 as a drug target, we analyzed complement-dependent cytotoxicity effects of anti-EphA10 mAb and found that significant cytotoxicity was mediated by the expression of EphA10. Therefore, the idea was conceived that the overexpression of EphA10 in prostate cancers might have a potential as a target for prostate cancer therapy, and formed the basis for the studies reported here

  5. Chemotherapy-enhanced inflammation may lead to the failure of therapy and metastasis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vyas D

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Dinesh Vyas, Gieric Laput, Arpitak K Vyas College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA Abstract: The lack of therapy and the failure of existing therapy has been a challenge for clinicians in treating various cancers. Doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil, cisplatin, and paclitaxel are the first-line therapy in various cancers; however, toxicity, resistance, and treatment failure limit their clinical use. Their status leads us to discover and investigate more targeted therapy with more efficacy. In this article, we dissect literature from the patient perspective, the tumor biology perspective, therapy-induced metastasis, and cell data generated in the laboratory. Keywords: chemotherapy, cancer, inflammation

  6. Multifunctional Gold Nanostars for Molecular Imaging and Cancer Therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yang; Yuan, Hsiangkuo; Fales, Andrew; Register, Janna; Vo-Dinh, Tuan

    2015-08-01

    Plasmonics-active gold nanoparticles offer excellent potential in molecular imaging and cancer therapy. Among them, gold nanostars (AuNS) exhibit cross-platform flexibility as multimodal contrast agents for macroscopic X-ray computer tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), as well as nanoprobes for photoacoustic tomography (PAT), two-photon photoluminescence (TPL) and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Their surfactant-free surface enables versatile functionalization to enhance cancer targeting, and allow triggered drug release. AuNS can also be used as an efficient platform for drug carrying, photothermal therapy, and photodynamic therapy. This review paper presents the latest progress regarding AuNS as a promising nanoplatform for cancer nanotheranostics. Future research directions with AuNS for biomedical applications will also be discussed.

  7. Cancer-affine radiopharmaceuticals for the study of biochemical nature of cancer and in the early diagnosis and follow-up of cancer and its systemic therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shukla, S.K.; Cipriani, C.; Atzei, G.

    1998-01-01

    Cancer patient needs less diagnosis but an effective therapy. The systemic nature of cancer, often right from its inception, requires systemic therapy with cancer-affine radiopharmaceuticals which contain radionuclide species recognizing both the primary and secondary cancers which have generally different biochemical properties. Cancers may be classified into two groups: I. CATIONIC COMPLEX-AFFINE TUMOURS; Lung cancer, thyroid cancer, primary breast cancer, renal cell carcinoma, bone metastases from anionic complex-affine cancers, ...; II. ANIONIC COMPLEX-AFFINE TUMOURS; Primary prostate cancer, melanoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, osteosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma, bone metastases from cationic complex-affine cancer. With cancer-affine citratogallate-67 complexes we have diagnosed and followed up, and with citratoyttrate-90 complexes we have treated advanced breast, prostate, renal cell cancer patients. The patient preparation by advising to avoid cancer risk factors and to take cancer preventing and radiopharmaceutical stabilizing diets during diagnosis and therapy have given better results. Friendliness, caring visits and telephone calls from the therapist group help to obtain better outcomes of the diagnosis, and mainly of the therapy. The complexes of these radionuclides with other chelating agents EDTA and DPTA are expected to give better images and cure of advanced cancer patients. Cancer-affine formulations of Tc-99m(V), Re-186(V) and Re-188(V)-DMSA are being studied for their future use in early diagnosis and follow-up, and for the systemic therapy of cancer which will show affinity for them. (author)

  8. A combination therapy of selective intraarterial anti-cancer drug infusion and radiation therapy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okuno, Yumiko; Zaitsu, Masayoshi; Mikami, Koji; Takeuchi, Takumi; Matsuda, Izuru; Arahira, Satoko

    2017-01-01

    The gold standard for the treatment of muscle-invasive bladder cancer Without metastasis is radical cystectomy. However, there increase patients very elderly and with serious complications. They are not good candidates for invasive surgical operation. Intraarterial infusion of 70 mg/m"2 of cisplatin and 30 mg/m"2 of pirarubicin into bilateral bladder arteries was conducted for 5 patients diagnosed with muscle invasive bladder cancers without distant metastasis. Right and left distribution of anti-cancer drugs was determined based on the location of bladder tumor(s). External beam radiation therapy was commenced immediately following intraarterial infusion. The patients were followed up with clinical and radiographic investigations and bladderbiopsy was performed as needed. Patients were all males who are smoking or with smoking history ranging from 73 to 85 years of age (median 82). The duration between transurethral resection of bladder tumors (TUR-Bt) and intraarterial infusion of anti-cancer drugs was 47.4 days (range 26-68), the median follow-up period after intraarterial infusion was 21.5 months (range 87-547) without death. Total radiation dose was 59.2 ±3.0 Gy. Complete remission was accomplished in all cases. One patient showed intravesical recurrence of non muscle-invasive tumors 45.8 months following intraarterial infusion and underwent TUR-Bt. Two cases underwent bladder biopsies showing no tumors. All patients but one case with bladder recurrence were free of tumor recurrence with radiographic investigation. For adverse events, acute renal failure was in one case and leukocytopenia was in all 5 cases, Grade 2 for one and Grade 3 for 4 cases. Follow-up periods are not long enough, but early results of a combination therapy of selective intraarterial anti-cancer drug infusion and radiation therapy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer were good. (author)

  9. Review of the 25th annual scientific meeting of the International Society for Biological Therapy of Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaffee Elizabeth M

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Led by key opinion leaders in the field, the 25th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Biological Therapy of Cancer (iSBTc, recently renamed the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer, SITC provided a scientific platform for ~500 attendees to exchange cutting-edge information on basic, clinical, and translational research in cancer immunology and immunotherapy. The meeting included keynote addresses on checkpoint blockade in cancer therapy and recent advances in therapeutic vaccination against cancer induced by Human Papilloma Virus 16. Participants from 29 countries interacted through oral presentations, panel discussions, and posters on topics that included dendritic cells and cancer, targeted therapeutics and immunotherapy, innate/adaptive immune interplay in cancer, clinical trial endpoints, vaccine combinations, countering negative regulation, immune cell trafficking to tumor microenvironment, and adoptive T cell transfer. In addition to the 50 oral presentations and >180 posters on these topics, a new SITC/iSBTc initiative to create evidence-based Cancer Immunotherapy Guidelines was announced. The SITC/iSBTc Biomarkers Taskforce announced the release of recommendations on immunotherapy biomarkers and a highly successful symposium on Immuno-Oncology Biomarkers that took place on the campus of the National Institutes of Health (NIH immediately prior to the Annual Meeting. At the Annual Meeting, the NIH took the opportunity to publicly announce the award of the U01 grant that will fund the Cancer Immunotherapy Trials Network (CITN. In summary, the Annual Meeting gathered clinicians and scientists from academia, industry, and regulatory agencies from around the globe to interact and exchange important scientific advances related to tumor immunobiology and cancer immunotherapy.

  10. Emerging combination therapies for metastatic colorectal cancer – impact of trifluridine/tipiracil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Puthiamadathil JM

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Jeevan M Puthiamadathil,1 Benjamin A Weinberg1,2 1Department of Medicine, 2Ruesch Center for the Cure of Gastrointestinal Cancers, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA Abstract: Patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC are surviving longer now than ever before, but mortality rates are still high and more effective therapies are clearly needed. For patients with disease that is refractory to fluoropyrimidines, oxaliplatin, irinotecan, and biologic agents targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor and epidermal growth factor receptor pathways, novel treatment options trifluridine/tipiracil (TAS-102 and regorafenib can be effective disease stabilizers. However, objective clinical responses are rare and toxicities are manageable but common. In order to tackle poor clinical responses to TAS-102, there is an ongoing effort to effectively combine this drug with other agents, particularly those targeting angiogenesis. Certain subpopulations appear to benefit more than others from TAS-102; those that benefit often have underlying genetic defects in DNA repair pathways and/or develop neutropenia. In this review, we focus on the role of TAS-102 in the treatment of mCRC, including its use in combination with other agents, potential predictive biomarkers of response to TAS-102, and possible future directions. Keywords: metastatic colorectal cancer, trifluridine, tipiracil, TAS-102, regorafenib

  11. Phytochemicals for breast cancer therapy: current status and future implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siddiqui, Jawed Akhtar; Singh, Aru; Chagtoo, Megha; Singh, Nidhi; Godbole, Madan Madhav; Chakravarti, Bandana

    2015-01-01

    Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies among women, representing nearly 30% of newly diagnosed cancers every year. Till date, various therapeutic interventions, including surgery, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, and radiotherapy are available and are known to cause a significant decline in the overall mortality rate. However, therapeutic resistance, recurrence and lack of treatment in metastasis are the major challenges that need to be addressed. Increasing evidence suggests the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in heterogeneous population of breast tumors capable of selfrenewal and differentiation and is considered to be responsible for drug resistance and recurrence. Therefore, compound that can target both differentiated cancer cells, as well as CSCs, may provide a better treatment strategy. Due to safe nature of dietary agents and health products, investigators are introducing them into clinical trials in place of chemotherapeutic agents.This current review focuses on phytochemicals, mainly flavonoids that are in use for breast cancer therapy in preclinical phase. As phytochemicals have several advantages in breast cancer and cancer stem cells, new synthetic series for breast cancer therapy from analogues of most potent natural molecule can be developed via rational drug design approach.

  12. Hadrons accelerators in the cancer therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amaldi, U.; Silari, M.

    1998-01-01

    The use of hadrons accelerators ( protons and light ions) in the cancer therapy is tackled. After shorts introductory words about the medical reasons in favour of using charged heavy particles radiotherapy, an overall idea is given on the accelerators technology and on the guiding and focusing systems. The Italian project of hadron-therapy (the most important project of this kind in Europe) is introduced, with in reference the National Oncological Center of Hadron-therapy and the plans of two kinds of compact protons accelerators in order to introduce the therapy with protons in a great number of hospitals. Finally, the needs in radiation protection are discussed. (N.C.)

  13. Photothermal therapy of cancer cells using novel hollow gold nanoflowers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Han J

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Jing Han,1 Jinru Li,1 Wenfeng Jia,1 Liangming Yao,2 Xiaoqin Li,1 Long Jiang,1 Yong Tian21Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, 2Beijing Key Laboratory of Noncoding RNA, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of ChinaAbstract: This article presents a new strategy for fabricating large gold nanoflowers (AuNFs that exhibit high biological safety under visible light and very strong photothermal cytotoxicity to HeLa cells under irradiation with near-infrared (NIR light. This particular type of AuNF was constructed using vesicles produced from a multiamine head surfactant as a template followed by depositing gold nanoparticles (AuNPs and growing their crystallites on the surface of vesicles. The localized surface plasmon-resonance spectrum of this type of AuNF can be easily modulated to the NIR region by controlling the size of the AuNFs. When the size of the AuNFs increased, biosafety under visible light improved and cytotoxicity increased under NIR irradiation. Experiments in vitro with HeLa cells and in vivo with small mice have been carried out, with promising results. The mechanism for this phenomenon is based on the hypothesis that it is difficult for larger AuNFs to enter the cell without NIR irradiation, but they enter the cell easily at the higher temperatures caused by NIR irradiation. We believe that these effects will exist in other types of noble metallic NPs and cancer cells. In addition, the affinity between AuNPs and functional biomolecules, such as aptamers and biomarkers, will make this type of AuNF a good recognition device in cancer diagnosis and therapy.Keywords: HeLa cells, endocytosis, cytotoxicity, AuNFs, NIR, cancer therapy

  14. Massage Therapy in Patients With Cancer Pain: A Review on Palliative Care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miladinia

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Introduction Cancer-related pain (CRP and its treatments are common and the scariest problems that patients with cancer fear and negatively affect their quality of life. Despite medical intervention, the pain of cancer still remains a clinical problem. Thus, the use of complementary medicine methods such as massage therapy is essential to control pain in the patients. Methodology It was a review type study limited to national and international studies from 1995 to 2015. Searching processes were completed by electronic databases and search engines. Finally, based on inclusion and exclusion criteria as well as the elimination of duplicate studies, nine articles were selected for final review among which five were clinical trials and four were review or meta-analysis articles. Results In all five clinical trials, massage therapy reduced pain of patients with cancer, which reflects the positive effects of massage therapy in adult patients with cancer. In addition, although various methods of massage therapy were employed, with short-term and long-term periods, it still had a positive impact. Meanwhile, four review or meta-analysis studies while different in the year of study, inclusion and exclusion criteria, manifested that the results of massage therapy was an effective non-pharmacological pain control in patients with cancer. Conclusions Finally, it can be concluded that massage therapy is an effective non-pharmacological way to control pain in adult patients with cancer. Furthermore, studies in Iran on the effects of massage therapy on pain in patients with cancer are limited and much more research is needed in this area.

  15. Risk of secondary malignancies after radiation therapy for breast cancer: Comprehensive results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burt, Lindsay M; Ying, Jian; Poppe, Matthew M; Suneja, Gita; Gaffney, David K

    2017-10-01

    To assess risks of secondary malignancies in breast cancer patients who received radiation therapy compared to patients who did not. The SEER database was used to identify females with a primary diagnosis of breast cancer as their first malignancy, during 1973-2008. We excluded patients with metastatic disease, age breast cancer recurrence, or who developed a secondary malignancy within 1 year of diagnosis. Standardized incidence ratios and absolute excess risk were calculated using SEER*Stat, version 8.2.1 and SAS, version 9.4. There were 374,993 patients meeting the inclusion criteria, with 154,697 who received radiation therapy. With a median follow-up of 8.9 years, 13% of patients (49,867) developed a secondary malignancy. The rate of secondary malignancies was significantly greater than the endemic rate in breast cancer patients treated without radiation therapy, (O/E 1.2, 95% CI 1.19-1.22) and with radiation therapy (O/E 1.33, 95% CI 1.31-1.35). Approximately 3.4% of secondary malignancies were attributable to radiation therapy. The increased risk of secondary malignancies in breast cancer patients treated with radiation therapy compared to those without was significant regardless of age at breast cancer diagnosis (p breast cancer patients both with and without radiation therapy compared to the general population. There was an increased risk in specific sites for patients treated with radiation therapy. This risk was most evident in young patients and who had longer latency periods. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Final Programme and Abstracts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2008-01-01

    Molecular targeted radionuclide cancer therapy is becoming of increasing importance, especially for disseminated diseases. Systemic chemotherapies often lack selectivity; targeted radionuclide therapy has important advantages as the radioactive cytotoxic unit of the targeting vector is specifically directed to the cancer, sparing normal tissues. The basis of this COST Action is the great potential of targeted radionuclide therapy using a variety of vectors and radionuclides. This Action brings together the different disciplines involved and provide a reliable and rapid means for developing new (fundamental) knowledge, method standardization and products while promoting transfer of technologies. This Action on cancer therapy using innovative targeting nanomedicines is highly multidisciplinary: nuclear medicine physicians, clinical oncologists, surgeons, physicists, radiobiologists, (in)organic chemists, radiochemists, radiopharmacists, pathologists and scientists from bionics participate in it. They define innovative new targets for cancer therapy, develop lead compounds and new radiolabelled ligands as vectors, perform molecular imaging and biologic testing, develop improved software and protocols for dosimetric calculations and select new vectors for early human use. During the working group meeting held in Cracow participants presented 57 communications (oral and posters, as well) on the above subject

  17. Immune-based Therapies for Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rafei, Hind; El-Bahesh, Ehab; Finianos, Antoine; Nassereddine, Samah; Tabbara, Imad

    2017-02-01

    Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Treatment of non-small cell lung cancer has evolved tremendously over the past decade. Specifically, immune checkpoint inhibitors have become an increasingly interesting target of pharmacological blockade. These immune inhibitors have shown promising results in front-line therapy and after failure of multiple lines, as well as in monotherapy and combination with other therapies. Vaccination in non-small cell lung cancer is also an emerging field of research that holds promising results for the future of immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer. This review presents a concise update on the most recent data regarding the role of checkpoint inhibitors as well as vaccination in non-small cell lung cancer. Copyright© 2017, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

  18. Associations between pathologic tumor features and preadjuvant therapy cognitive performance in women diagnosed with breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koleck, Theresa A; Bender, Catherine M; Sereika, Susan M; Ryan, Christopher M; Ghotkar, Puja; Brufsky, Adam M; Jankowitz, Rachel C; McAuliffe, Priscilla F; Clark, Beth Z; Conley, Yvette P

    2017-02-01

    Intertumor heterogeneity has been proposed as a potential mechanism to account for variability in cognitive performance in women diagnosed with breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to explore associations between variation in pathologic tumor features (PTFs) and variability in preadjuvant therapy cognitive performance in postmenopausal women newly diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. Participants (N = 329) completed a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests to evaluate cognitive performance after primary surgery but prior to initiation of adjuvant anastrozole±chemotherapy. PTF data were abstracted from medical records. Robust multiple linear regression models were fit to estimate associations between individual PTFs and the cognitive function composite domain scores. All models controlled for age, estimated intelligence, and levels of depressive symptoms, anxiety, fatigue, and pain. Diagnosis of a HER2-positive tumor contributed to poorer verbal (b = -0.287, P = 0.018), visual (b = -0.270, P = 0.001), and visual working (b = -0.490, P Breast Cancer Assay Recurrence Score ® .) Our results suggest that certain PTFs related to more aggressive tumor phenotypes or inferior breast cancer prognosis may be implicated in poorer preadjuvant therapy cognitive performance. Follow-up studies that include a cognitive assessment before primary surgery should be conducted to further delineate the role of intertumor heterogeneity on cognitive performance. © 2016 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. Radiation-Induced Cancers From Modern Radiotherapy Techniques: Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy Versus Proton Therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoon, Myonggeun; Ahn, Sung Hwan; Kim, Jinsung; Shin, Dong Ho; Park, Sung Yong; Lee, Se Byeong; Shin, Kyung Hwan; Cho, Kwan Ho

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: To assess and compare secondary cancer risk resulting from intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and proton therapy in patients with prostate and head-and-neck cancer. Methods and Materials: Intensity-modulated radiotherapy and proton therapy in the scattering mode were planned for 5 prostate caner patients and 5 head-and-neck cancer patients. The secondary doses during irradiation were measured using ion chamber and CR-39 detectors for IMRT and proton therapy, respectively. Organ-specific radiation-induced cancer risk was estimated by applying organ equivalent dose to dose distributions. Results: The average secondary doses of proton therapy for prostate cancer patients, measured 20-60cm from the isocenter, ranged from 0.4 mSv/Gy to 0.1 mSv/Gy. The average secondary doses of IMRT for prostate patients, however, ranged between 3 mSv/Gy and 1 mSv/Gy, approximately one order of magnitude higher than for proton therapy. Although the average secondary doses of IMRT were higher than those of proton therapy for head-and-neck cancers, these differences were not significant. Organ equivalent dose calculations showed that, for prostate cancer patients, the risk of secondary cancers in out-of-field organs, such as the stomach, lungs, and thyroid, was at least 5 times higher for IMRT than for proton therapy, whereas the difference was lower for head-and-neck cancer patients. Conclusions: Comparisons of organ-specific organ equivalent dose showed that the estimated secondary cancer risk using scattering mode in proton therapy is either significantly lower than the cases in IMRT treatment or, at least, does not exceed the risk induced by conventional IMRT treatment.

  20. ORAL-THERAPY FOR SMALL-CELL LUNG-CANCER

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    POSTMUS, PE; SMIT, EF

    After a remarkable improvement of the very poor prognosis of small cell lung cancer with very simple therapy such as iv and oral cyclophosphamide the role of oral therapy has become minimal. However, since more than a decade results of combination chemotherapy are at a plateau and it is necessary to

  1. POSSIBILITIES OF THERAPY OF HER-2-POSITIVE REGIONAL BREAST CANCER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. S. Belokhvostova

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Breast cancer heads the list of malignant neoplasms in women. In this connection the regional forms of cancer are diagnosed in one fourth of the patients. The treatment of regional cancer begins with systemic therapy and aimed at gaining of state fit for operation. The choice of modern treatment strategy is based on determination of molecular subtype of the tumor. One of them is referred to HER-2-positive cancer, requiring the administration of additional targeted therapy. This form of cancer is referred to prognostically pejorative tumors, as it’s more aggressive, leads to fast metastasis and early death of the patients. The “golden standard” of systemic chemotherapy is defined as administration of docetaxel and trastuzumab,  and antracyclic drugs, which also prove to be efficient. However concomitant administration of trastuzumab and antracyclines is limited due to their cardiotoxicity. Chemotherapy is not always efficient and, upon recommendations both of Russian and international oncologists, radiotherapy is the next stage of treatment. The question about radiosensibility of HER-2-positive tumors is still open and worth studying. Addition of radiotherapy to regional cancer treatment regimen in combination with the targeted therapy and chemotherapy may contribute to obtaining better survival rate and disease control. There are still no clearly defined standard for the sequence of chemo-radiation therapy. Simultaneous  chemo-radiatiojn  therapy results in  reliably better loco-regional control of tumor and  enables to gain a  higher degree of pathomorphological response on the one hand, and it may result in development of serious adverse effects on the other hand. Striving for improvement of immediate results of antineoplastic therapy, including that of regional cancer, by combining various methods, one should keep in mind the increasing action toxicity, which may have a considerable impact on the patients’ quality of living

  2. In vivo delivery of miRNAs for cancer therapy: Challenges and strategies⋆

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yunching; Gao, Dong-Yu; Huang, Leaf

    2016-01-01

    MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNAs, can regulate post-transcriptional gene expressions and silence a broad set of target genes. miRNAs, aberrantly expressed in cancer cells, play an important role in modulating gene expressions, thereby regulating downstream signaling pathways and affecting cancer formation and progression. Oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes regulated by miRNAs mediate cell cycle progression, metabolism, cell death, angiogenesis, metastasis and immunosuppression in cancer. Recently, miRNAs have emerged as therapeutic targets or tools and biomarkers for diagnosis and therapy monitoring in cancer. Since miRNAs can regulate multiple cancer-related genes simultaneously, using miRNAs as a therapeutic approach plays an important role in cancer therapy. However, one of the major challenges of miRNA-based cancer therapy is to achieve specific, efficient and safe systemic delivery of therapeutic miRNAs In vivo. This review discusses the key challenges to the development of the carriers for miRNA-based therapy and explores current strategies to systemically deliver miRNAs to cancer without induction of toxicity. PMID:24859533

  3. Perspectives on music therapy in adult cancer care: a hermeneutic study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olofsson, Anne; Fossum, Bjöörn

    2009-07-01

    To explore perspectives on music therapy as a nursing intervention in adult cancer care and to expand and integrate knowledge and understanding about music therapy as an adjunctive intervention in adult cancer nursing care. Published nursing articles. Medical and nursing journals have reported on research related to music and its effect as a nursing intervention. However, this research often lacks a musical context (i.e., knowledge and understanding from a musical perspective). Music therapy is not a consistent concept. Perspectives on the meanings of music therapy vary according to knowledge and scientific orientation. The perspective may influence the character and methodology of the music therapy intervention as well as the understanding of its results. To fully develop music therapy as an adjunct intervention in adult cancer care, interdisciplinary cooperation between nurses and music therapists should be supported on clinical and educational levels.

  4. A cell-permeable dominant-negative survivin protein induces apoptosis and sensitizes prostate cancer cells to TNF-α therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kanwar Jagat R

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Survivin is a member of the inhibitor-of-apoptosis (IAP family which is widely expressed by many different cancers. Overexpression of survivin is associated with drug resistance in cancer cells, and reduced patient survival after chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Agents that antagonize the function of survivin hold promise for treating many forms of cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a cell-permeable dominant-negative survivin protein would demonstrate bioactivity against prostate and cervical cancer cells grown in three dimensional culture. Results A dominant-negative survivin (C84A protein fused to the cell penetrating peptide poly-arginine (R9 was expressed in E. coli and purified by affinity chromatography. Western blot analysis revealed that dNSurR9-C84A penetrated into 3D-cultured HeLa and DU145 cancer cells, and a cell viability assay revealed it induced cancer cell death. It increased the activities of caspase-9 and caspase-3, and rendered DU145 cells sensitive to TNF-α via by a mechanism involving activation of caspase-8. Conclusions The results demonstrate that antagonism of survivin function triggers the apoptosis of prostate and cervical cancer cells grown in 3D culture. It renders cancer cells sensitive to the proapoptotic affects of TNF-α, suggesting that survivin blocks the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis. Combination of the biologically active dNSurR9-C84A protein or other survivin antagonists with TNF-α therapy warrants consideration as an approach to cancer therapy.

  5. Nonlinear system identification for prostate cancer and optimality of intermittent androgen suppression therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suzuki, Taiji; Aihara, Kazuyuki

    2013-09-01

    These days prostate cancer is one of the most common types of malignant neoplasm in men. Androgen ablation therapy (hormone therapy) has been shown to be effective for advanced prostate cancer. However, continuous hormone therapy often causes recurrence. This results from the progression of androgen-dependent cancer cells to androgen-independent cancer cells during the continuous hormone therapy. One possible method to prevent the progression to the androgen-independent state is intermittent androgen suppression (IAS) therapy, which ceases dosing intermittently. In this paper, we propose two methods to estimate the dynamics of prostate cancer, and investigate the IAS therapy from the viewpoint of optimality. The two methods that we propose for dynamics estimation are a variational Bayesian method for a piecewise affine (PWA) system and a Gaussian process regression method. We apply the proposed methods to real clinical data and compare their predictive performances. Then, using the estimated dynamics of prostate cancer, we observe how prostate cancer behaves for various dosing schedules. It can be seen that the conventional IAS therapy is a way of imposing high cost for dosing while keeping the prostate cancer in a safe state. We would like to dedicate this paper to the memory of Professor Luigi M. Ricciardi. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Missed Radiation Therapy and Cancer Recurrence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patients who miss radiation therapy sessions during cancer treatment have an increased risk of their disease returning, even if they eventually complete their course of radiation treatment, according to a new study.

  7. Formalizing an integrative, multidisciplinary cancer therapy discovery workflow

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGuire, Mary F.; Enderling, Heiko; Wallace, Dorothy I.; Batra, Jaspreet; Jordan, Marie; Kumar, Sushil; Panetta, John C.; Pasquier, Eddy

    2014-01-01

    Although many clinicians and researchers work to understand cancer, there has been limited success to effectively combine forces and collaborate over time, distance, data and budget constraints. Here we present a workflow template for multidisciplinary cancer therapy that was developed during the 2nd Annual Workshop on Cancer Systems Biology sponsored by Tufts University, Boston, MA in July 2012. The template was applied to the development of a metronomic therapy backbone for neuroblastoma. Three primary groups were identified: clinicians, biologists, and scientists (mathematicians, computer scientists, physicists and engineers). The workflow described their integrative interactions; parallel or sequential processes; data sources and computational tools at different stages as well as the iterative nature of therapeutic development from clinical observations to in vitro, in vivo, and clinical trials. We found that theoreticians in dialog with experimentalists could develop calibrated and parameterized predictive models that inform and formalize sets of testable hypotheses, thus speeding up discovery and validation while reducing laboratory resources and costs. The developed template outlines an interdisciplinary collaboration workflow designed to systematically investigate the mechanistic underpinnings of a new therapy and validate that therapy to advance development and clinical acceptance. PMID:23955390

  8. Cancer Nanomedicine: From Targeted Delivery to Combination Therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Xiaoyang; Ho, William; Zhang, Xueqing; Bertrand, Nicolas; Farokhzad, Omid

    2015-01-01

    The advent of nanomedicine marks an unparalleled opportunity to advance the treatment of a variety of diseases, including cancer. The unique properties of nanoparticles, such as large surface-to volume ratio, small size, the ability to encapsulate a variety of drugs, and tunable surface chemistry, gives them many advantages over their bulk counterparts. This includes multivalent surface modification with targeting ligands, efficient navigation of the complex in vivo environment, increased intracellular trafficking, and sustained release of drug payload. These advantages make nanoparticles a mode of treatment potentially superior to conventional cancer therapies. This article highlights the most recent developments in cancer treatment using nanoparticles as drug-delivery vehicles, including promising opportunities in targeted and combination therapy. PMID:25656384

  9. Novel biotechnology approaches in colorectal cancer diagnosis and therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kavousipour, Soudabeh; Khademi, Fathemeh; Zamani, Mozhdeh; Vakili, Bahareh; Mokarram, Pooneh

    2017-06-01

    With ever-increasing molecular information about colorectal cancer (CRC), there is an expectation to detect more sensitive and specific molecular markers for new advanced diagnostic methods that can surpass the limitations of current screening tests. Moreover, enhanced molecular pathology knowledge about cancer has led to the development of targeted therapies, designed to interfere with specific aberrant biological pathways in cancer. Furthermore, biotechnology has opened a new window in CRC diagnosis and treatment by introducing different application of antibodies, antibody fragments, non-Ig scaffold proteins, and aptamers in targeted therapy and drug delivery. This review summarizes the molecular diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in CRC with a focus on genetic and epigenetic alterations, protein and metabolite markers as well as targeted therapy and drug delivery by Ig-scaffold proteins, non-Ig scaffold proteins, nanobodies, and aptamers.

  10. A communication tool for cancer patients with pain: the art therapy technique of the body outline.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luzzatto, Paola; Sereno, Valerie; Capps, Roy

    2003-06-01

    The multidimensional aspect of pain suggests the use of multimodal interventions. The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center has recently utilized the art therapy modality to help patients communicate the painful side of their illness in such a way that they can feel understood and respected. In this paper we describe a simple innovative art therapy intervention that we have developed within the Art Therapy Service in the Psychiatric Department of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. The patients work with a Body Outline as a starting template, together with the art therapist, in sessions lasting approximately 45 minutes. They are encouraged to fill the space inside and outside the Body Outline. They can use colored pastels, markers, or watercolor or cut out images for a collage. Seventy hospitalized adult cancer patients, 60 women and 10 men, used this intervention between January 1999 and May 2000. We have analyzed the variety of responses from the 70 patients, and three main groups have emerged, which have focused on the following issues: (1) visualization of physical pain, (2) communication of emotions, and (3) search for meaning/spirituality. The results suggest that because of its abstract symbolic feature, the Body Outline is a very flexible therapeutic intervention. It must be offered within the relationship with the art therapist, and it may fulfill quite a variety of expressive needs, from the description of physical pain to the elaboration of spiritual longings.

  11. Photodynamic therapy of cancer — Challenges of multidrug resistance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zheng Huang

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Photodynamic therapy (PDT of cancer is a two-step drug-device combination modality, which involves the topical or systemic administration of a photosensitizer followed by light illumination of cancer site. In the presence of oxygen molecules, the light illumination of photosensitizer (PS can lead to the generation of cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS and consequently destroy cancer. Similar to many other anticancer therapies, PDT is also subject to intrinsic cancer resistance mediated by multidrug resistance (MDR mechanisms. This paper will review the recent progress in understanding the interaction between MDR transporters and PS uptake. The strategies that can be used in a clinical setting to overcome or bypass MDR will also be discussed.

  12. Antiangiogenic therapy for breast cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, D.L.; Andersson, M.; Andersen, Jon Alexander Lykkegaard

    2010-01-01

    tyrosine kinase activity, such as sorafenib, appear promising. While, the role of sunitinib and inhibitors of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in breast cancer has to be defined. Several unanswered questions remain, such as choice of drug(s), optimal duration of therapy and patient selection criteria...

  13. Radiation therapy for gastric cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dobelbower, R.R.; Bagne, F.; Ajlouni, M.I.; Milligan, A.J.

    1988-01-01

    Adenocarcinoma of the stomach is a moderately radioresponsive neoplasm. Attempts to treat patients with unresectable disease with external beam radiation therapy alone have generally failed because of problems with tumor localization and adequate dose delivery as well as the inherent radioresponsiveness of the gastric mucosa and the organs intimately related to the stomach. Combining external beam therapy and chemotherapy (acting as a systemic agent and as a radiosensitizer) seems to be of some (albeit limited) benefit in the management of unresectable adenocarcinoma of the stomach. Optimum combinations of radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and radiation sensitizers in this situation remain to be determined. The authors discuss strides which have been made in the treatment of gastric cancer. They also address the unanswered clinical questions which remain regarding the use of radiation therapy in the treatment of this highly lethal disease

  14. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Treating Long-Term Gastrointestinal Adverse Effects Caused by Radiation Therapy in Patients With Pelvic Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-07-14

    Bladder Cancer; Cervical Cancer; Colorectal Cancer; Endometrial Cancer; Gastrointestinal Complications; Long-term Effects Secondary to Cancer Therapy in Adults; Ovarian Cancer; Prostate Cancer; Radiation Toxicity; Sarcoma; Testicular Germ Cell Tumor; Vaginal Cancer

  15. Anaplastic thyroid cancer, tumorigenesis and therapy.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    O'Neill, J P

    2010-03-01

    Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is a fatal endocrine malignancy. Current therapy fails to significantly improve survival. Recent insights into thyroid tumorigenesis, post-malignant dedifferentiation and mode of metastatic activity offer new therapeutic strategies.

  16. Strategies for combinational cancer therapies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khleif, Samir

    2014-01-01

    The countless pre-clinical studies and many clinical trials that have applied tumor antigen-based therapies for the cancer treatment, and although the necessary tumor-specific immune response may be elicited in tumor-bearing hosts, this was not sufficient for the positive therapeutic outcome since there are multiple mechanisms that tumors develop to escape immune surveillance. The tumor-mediated inhibitory mechanisms involve co-inhibitory receptor-ligand interactions, such as PD-1/ PD-L1, secretion of inhibitory molecules, such as TGFb, and recruitment of suppressive cells, such as regulatory T cells (Treg), myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSC), etc. Therefore, we hypothesized that successful cancer immunotherapy requires not only induction and enhancement of effector immune response but also simultaneous targeting of suppressor arm of immune system, thus in addition to enhancing antigen-specific immunity using vaccines or radiation therapy, one should also target tumor-mediated immune suppression to improve the overall efficacy of therapy. We developed multiple strategies to target various tumor-mediated immune inhibitory mechanisms that can enhance anti-tumor immunity and restructure tumor microenvironment to allow effector cells generated due to vaccination or radiation therapy to function potently. We evaluated the immune and therapeutic efficacy of multiple combinational therapies, including blocking and agonist antibodies to co-inhibitory/co-stimulatory molecules, such as PD-1, PD-L1, OX40, CTLA-4, GITR, inhibitors and neutralizing antibodies to inhibitory cytokines/molecules, such as IL-10, TGFb, IDO, and small molecules for selective inhibition of Tregs. In addition to evaluation of anti-tumor efficacy we are also investigated cellular and molecular mechanisms of action for these agents when combined with vaccine or radiation therapy and exploring the interactions between compounds within combinational therapies in animal tumor models. We are

  17. Navigating cancer network attractors for tumor-specific therapy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Creixell, Pau; Schoof, Erwin; Erler, Janine Terra

    2012-01-01

    understanding of the processes by which genetic lesions perturb these networks and lead to disease phenotypes. Network biology will help circumvent fundamental obstacles in cancer treatment, such as drug resistance and metastasis, empowering personalized and tumor-specific cancer therapies....

  18. Cancer stem cells and differentiation therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, Xiong; Jin, Xun; Kim, Hyunggee

    2017-10-01

    Cancer stem cells can generate tumors from only a small number of cells, whereas differentiated cancer cells cannot. The prominent feature of cancer stem cells is its ability to self-renew and differentiate into multiple types of cancer cells. Cancer stem cells have several distinct tumorigenic abilities, including stem cell signal transduction, tumorigenicity, metastasis, and resistance to anticancer drugs, which are regulated by genetic or epigenetic changes. Like normal adult stem cells involved in various developmental processes and tissue homeostasis, cancer stem cells maintain their self-renewal capacity by activating multiple stem cell signaling pathways and inhibiting differentiation signaling pathways during cancer initiation and progression. Recently, many studies have focused on targeting cancer stem cells to eradicate malignancies by regulating stem cell signaling pathways, and products of some of these strategies are in preclinical and clinical trials. In this review, we describe the crucial features of cancer stem cells related to tumor relapse and drug resistance, as well as the new therapeutic strategy to target cancer stem cells named "differentiation therapy."

  19. Adverse glycaemic effects of cancer therapy: indications for a rational approach to cancer patients with diabetes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gallo, Marco; Muscogiuri, Giovanna; Felicetti, Francesco; Faggiano, Antongiulio; Trimarchi, Francesco; Arvat, Emanuela; Vigneri, Riccardo; Colao, Annamaria

    2018-01-01

    Diabetes and cancer are common, chronic, and potentially fatal diseases that frequently co-exist. Observational studies have reported an increased risk of cancer in patients with diabetes. Furthermore, many patients with cancer already have diabetes, or develop hyperglycaemia as a consequence of the tumor or of cancer therapies, and coexisting diabetes confers a greater risk of mortality for many malignancies. Managing oncologic patients with diabetes is often complicated, since the co-existence of diabetes and cancer poses several complex clinical questions: what level of glycaemic control to achieve, which therapy to use, how to deal with glucocorticoid therapies and artificial nutrition, how diabetes complications can affect cancer management, which drug-drug interactions should be taken into account, or even how to manage diabetes at the end of life. In the clinical setting, both at hospital and at home, there are little agreed, evidence-based guidelines on the best management and criteria upon which clinical decisions should be based. A practical solution lies in the implementation of care networks based on communication and ongoing collaboration between Oncologists, Endocrinologists, and the nursing staff, with the patient at the centre of the care process. This manuscript aims to review the current evidence on the effect of cancer therapies on glucose metabolism and to address some of the more common challenges of diabetes treatment in patients with cancer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Functional Deficits and Quality of Life Among Cancer Survivors: Implications for Occupational Therapy in Cancer Survivorship Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hwang, Eric J; Lokietz, Nicole C; Lozano, Rachel L; Parke, Megan A

    2015-01-01

    This study aimed to explore functional deficits and perceived quality of life (QoL) among cancer survivors. Sixty-six participants completed the Post Cancer Outcome Survey developed for the purpose of this study. The results indicated (1) modest to moderate degrees of functional deficits in 28 of the 70 items measuring areas of occupation, performance skills, body functions, and psychosocial well-being within the first year after cancer treatment; (2) significantly lower perceived QoL during the first year of survivorship compared with that before diagnosis, at present, and 5 yr hereafter (p occupational therapy during the first year posttreatment. Functional difficulties and compromised QoL identified in this study indicate the need for occupational therapy among cancer survivors. Increasing clients' awareness of occupational therapy for postcancer care is also suggested. Copyright © 2015 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

  1. Physical therapy methods in the treatment and rehabilitation of cancer patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kucherova, T. Ya.; Choinzonov, E. L.; Tuzikov, S. A.; Vusik, M. V.; Doroshenko, A. V.; Velikaya, V. V.; Gribova, O. V.; Startseva, Zh. A.

    2016-01-01

    The results of the effective use of magnetic laser therapy in the treatment and rehabilitation of cancer patients were presented. The effect of magnetic-laser therapy in the treatment of radiation-induced reactions in the patients with head and neck cancer and in the patients with breast cancer was analyzed. High efficiency of lymphedema and lymphorrhea treatment in the postoperative period in the patients with breast cancer was proved. The results of rehabilitation of the patients with gastric cancer after surgical treatment were presented. These data indicate a high effectiveness of different physical methods of treatment and rehabilitation of cancer patients.

  2. Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Based Tumor-Targeted Gene Therapy in Gastrointestinal Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bao, Qi; Zhao, Yue; Niess, Hanno; Conrad, Claudius; Schwarz, Bettina; Jauch, Karl-Walter; Huss, Ralf; Nelson, Peter J.

    2012-01-01

    Mesenchymal stem (or stromal) cells (MSCs) are nonhematopoietic progenitor cells that can be obtained from bone marrow aspirates or adipose tissue, expanded and genetically modified in vitro, and then used for cancer therapeutic strategies in vivo. Here, we review available data regarding the application of MSC-based tumor-targeted therapy in gastrointestinal cancer, provide an overview of the general history of MSC-based gene therapy in cancer research, and discuss potential problems associated with the utility of MSC-based therapy such as biosafety, immunoprivilege, transfection methods, and distribution in the host. PMID:22530882

  3. Nanomedicine of synergistic drug combinations for cancer therapy - Strategies and perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Rui Xue; Wong, Ho Lun; Xue, Hui Yi; Eoh, June Young; Wu, Xiao Yu

    2016-10-28

    Nanomedicine of synergistic drug combinations has shown increasing significance in cancer therapy due to its promise in providing superior therapeutic benefits to the current drug combination therapy used in clinical practice. In this article, we will examine the rationale, principles, and advantages of applying nanocarriers to improve anticancer drug combination therapy, review the use of nanocarriers for delivery of a variety of combinations of different classes of anticancer agents including small molecule drugs and biologics, and discuss the challenges and future perspectives of the nanocarrier-based combination therapy. The goal of this review is to provide better understanding of this increasingly important new paradigm of cancer treatment and key considerations for rational design of nanomedicine of synergistic drug combinations for cancer therapy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Nutrition therapy with high intensity interval training to improve prostate cancer-related fatigue in men on androgen deprivation therapy: a study protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baguley, Brenton J; Skinner, Tina L; Leveritt, Michael D; Wright, Olivia R L

    2017-01-03

    Cancer-related fatigue is one of the most prevalent, prolonged and distressing side effects of prostate cancer treatment with androgen deprivation therapy. Preliminary evidence suggests natural therapies such as nutrition therapy and structured exercise prescription can reduce symptoms of cancer-related fatigue. Men appear to change their habitual dietary patterns after prostate cancer diagnosis, yet prostate-specific dietary guidelines provide limited support for managing adverse side effects of treatment. The exercise literature has shown high intensity interval training can improve various aspects of health that are typically impaired with androgen deprivation therapy; however exercise at this intensity is yet to be conducted in men with prostate cancer. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of nutrition therapy beyond the current healthy eating guidelines with high intensity interval training for managing cancer-related fatigue in men with prostate cancer treated with androgen deprivation therapy. This is a two-arm randomized control trial of 116 men with prostate cancer and survivors treated with androgen deprivation therapy. Participants will be randomized to either the intervention group i.e. nutrition therapy and high intensity interval training, or usual care. The intervention group will receive 20 weeks of individualized nutrition therapy from an Accredited Practising Dietitian, and high intensity interval training (from weeks 12-20 of the intervention) from an Accredited Exercise Physiologist. The usual care group will maintain their standard treatment regimen over the 20 weeks. Both groups will undertake primary and secondary outcome testing at baseline, week 8, 12, and 20; testing includes questionnaires of fatigue and quality of life, objective measures of body composition, muscular strength, cardiorespiratory fitness, biomarkers for disease progression, as well as dietary analysis. The primary outcomes for this trial are measures of

  5. Radioiodine therapy for differentiated thyroid cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samuel, A.M.; Rajashekharrao, B.

    1999-01-01

    Radioiodine ( 131 I) therapy has been in use for the treatment of thyroid diseases. Although the use of 131 I has been in vogue for a long time, its use in therapy for well-differentiated thyroid cancer is still controversial. This is because, thyroid cancers (TC) are generally slow growing tumors, with low mortality and normal spans of survival. To record recurrence and mortality, long-term follow-up studies over a period of two to three decades are needed to establish definite conclusions on the acceptable modes of treatment. The most reliable conclusions regarding 131 I treatment are obtained from studies reported on a large series of patients followed over a period of 3 decades or more from a single institute with a more or less unchanged protocol of management

  6. Efficacy of chemotherapy after hormone therapy for hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mori, Ryutaro; Nagao, Yasuko

    2014-01-01

    According to the guidelines for metastatic breast cancer, hormone therapy for hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer without life-threatening metastasis should be received prior to chemotherapy. Previous trials have investigated the sensitivity of chemotherapy for preoperative breast cancer based on the efficacy of neoadjuvant hormone therapy. In this retrospective study, we investigated the efficacy of chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer in hormone therapy-effective and hormone therapy-ineffective cases. Patients who received chemotherapy after hormone therapy for metastatic breast cancer between 2006 and 2013 at our institution were investigated. A total of 32 patients received chemotherapy after hormone therapy for metastatic breast cancer. The median patient age was 59 years, and most of the primary tumors exhibited a T2 status. A total of 26 patients had an N(+) status, while 7 patients had human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive tumors. A total of 13 patients received clinical benefits from hormone therapy, with a rate of clinical benefit of subsequent chemotherapy of 30.8%, which was not significantly different from that observed in the hormone therapy-ineffective patients (52.6%). A total of 13 patients were able to continue the hormone therapy for more than 1 year, with a rate of clinical benefit of chemotherapy of 38.5%, which was not significantly different from that observed in the short-term hormone therapy patients (47.4%). The luminal A patients were able to continue hormone therapy for a significantly longer period than the non-luminal A patients (median survival time: 17.8 months vs 6.35 months, p = 0.0085). However, there were no significant differences in the response to or duration of chemotherapy. The efficacy of chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer cannot be predicted based on the efficacy of prior hormone therapy or tumor subtype, and clinicians should administer chemotherapy in all cases of

  7. Personalizing Therapy in Advanced Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Villaruz, Liza C.; Burns, Timothy F.; Ramfidis, Vasilis S.; Socinski, Mark A.

    2016-01-01

    The recognition that non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is not a single disease entity, but rather a collection of distinct molecularly driven neoplasms, has permanently shifted the therapeutic landscape of NSCLC to a personalized approach. This personalization of NSCLC therapy is typified by the dramatic response rates seen in EGFR mutant NSCLC when treated with targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy and in ALK translocation–driven NSCLC when treated with ALK inhibitors. Targeted therapeutic approaches in NSCLC necessitate consideration of more invasive biopsy techniques aimed at providing sufficient tissue for both histological determination and molecular profiling in all patients with stage IV disease both at the time of diagnosis and at the time of disease progression. Comprehensive genotyping efforts have identified oncogenic drivers in 62% lung adenocarcinomas and an increasing proportion of squamous cell carcinomas of the lung. The identification of these oncogenic drivers and the triage of patients to clinical trials evaluating novel targeted therapeutic approaches will increasingly mold a landscape of personalized lung cancer therapy where each genotype has an associated targeted therapy. This review outlines the state of personalized lung cancer therapy as it pertains to individual NSCLC genotypes. PMID:24258572

  8. Adjuvant Radiation Therapy Treatment Time Impacts Overall Survival in Gastric Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McMillan, Matthew T.; Ojerholm, Eric; Roses, Robert E.; Plastaras, John P.; Metz, James M.; Mamtani, Ronac; Karakousis, Giorgos C.; Fraker, Douglas L.; Drebin, Jeffrey A.; Stripp, Diana; Ben-Josef, Edgar; Datta, Jashodeep

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: Prolonged radiation therapy treatment time (RTT) is associated with worse survival in several tumor types. This study investigated whether delays during adjuvant radiation therapy impact overall survival (OS) in gastric cancer. Methods and Materials: The National Cancer Data Base was queried for patients with resected gastric cancer who received adjuvant radiation therapy with National Comprehensive Cancer Network–recommended doses (45 or 50.4 Gy) between 1998 and 2006. RTT was classified as standard (45 Gy: 33-36 days, 50.4 Gy: 38-41 days) or prolonged (45 Gy: >36 days, 50.4 Gy: >41 days). Cox proportional hazards models evaluated the association between the following factors and OS: RTT, interval from surgery to radiation therapy initiation, interval from surgery to radiation therapy completion, radiation therapy dose, demographic/pathologic and operative factors, and other elements of adjuvant multimodality therapy. Results: Of 1591 patients, RTT was delayed in 732 (46%). Factors associated with prolonged RTT were non-private health insurance (OR 1.3, P=.005) and treatment at non-academic facilities (OR 1.2, P=.045). Median OS and 5-year actuarial survival were significantly worse in patients with prolonged RTT compared with standard RTT (36 vs 51 months, P=.001; 39 vs 47%, P=.005); OS worsened with each cumulative week of delay (P<.0004). On multivariable analysis, prolonged RTT was associated with inferior OS (hazard ratio 1.2, P=.002); the intervals from surgery to radiation therapy initiation or completion were not. Prolonged RTT was particularly detrimental in patients with node positivity, inadequate nodal staging (<15 nodes examined), and those undergoing a cycle of chemotherapy before chemoradiation therapy. Conclusions: Delays during adjuvant radiation therapy appear to negatively impact survival in gastric cancer. Efforts to minimize cumulative interruptions to <7 days should be considered

  9. Adjuvant Radiation Therapy Treatment Time Impacts Overall Survival in Gastric Cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McMillan, Matthew T. [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Ojerholm, Eric [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Roses, Robert E., E-mail: Robert.Roses@uphs.upenn.edu [Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Plastaras, John P.; Metz, James M. [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Mamtani, Ronac [Department of Hematology/Oncology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Karakousis, Giorgos C.; Fraker, Douglas L.; Drebin, Jeffrey A. [Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Stripp, Diana; Ben-Josef, Edgar [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Datta, Jashodeep [Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States)

    2015-10-01

    Purpose: Prolonged radiation therapy treatment time (RTT) is associated with worse survival in several tumor types. This study investigated whether delays during adjuvant radiation therapy impact overall survival (OS) in gastric cancer. Methods and Materials: The National Cancer Data Base was queried for patients with resected gastric cancer who received adjuvant radiation therapy with National Comprehensive Cancer Network–recommended doses (45 or 50.4 Gy) between 1998 and 2006. RTT was classified as standard (45 Gy: 33-36 days, 50.4 Gy: 38-41 days) or prolonged (45 Gy: >36 days, 50.4 Gy: >41 days). Cox proportional hazards models evaluated the association between the following factors and OS: RTT, interval from surgery to radiation therapy initiation, interval from surgery to radiation therapy completion, radiation therapy dose, demographic/pathologic and operative factors, and other elements of adjuvant multimodality therapy. Results: Of 1591 patients, RTT was delayed in 732 (46%). Factors associated with prolonged RTT were non-private health insurance (OR 1.3, P=.005) and treatment at non-academic facilities (OR 1.2, P=.045). Median OS and 5-year actuarial survival were significantly worse in patients with prolonged RTT compared with standard RTT (36 vs 51 months, P=.001; 39 vs 47%, P=.005); OS worsened with each cumulative week of delay (P<.0004). On multivariable analysis, prolonged RTT was associated with inferior OS (hazard ratio 1.2, P=.002); the intervals from surgery to radiation therapy initiation or completion were not. Prolonged RTT was particularly detrimental in patients with node positivity, inadequate nodal staging (<15 nodes examined), and those undergoing a cycle of chemotherapy before chemoradiation therapy. Conclusions: Delays during adjuvant radiation therapy appear to negatively impact survival in gastric cancer. Efforts to minimize cumulative interruptions to <7 days should be considered.

  10. Endocrine therapy and urogenital outcomes among women with a breast cancer diagnosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doll, Kemi M.; Bensen, Jeannette T.; Hendrix, Laura; Anders, Carey K.; Wu, Jennifer M.; Nichols, Hazel B.

    2018-01-01

    Purpose Endocrine therapy for breast cancer can exacerbate menopausal symptoms. The association between endocrine therapy and common pelvic floor disorders including urinary incontinence has rarely been evaluated. We examined urogenital and sexual side effects among women with a breast cancer diagnosis, comparing endocrine therapy users to nonusers. Methods Urogenital and sexual symptoms were self-reported during the enrollment interview within the University of North Carolina Cancer Survivorship Cohort. Tumor characteristics and endocrine therapy use were collected from medical and prescription records. We calculated multivariable prevalence ratios (PR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for the association of endocrine therapy (versus no endocrine therapy) and urinary incontinence, overall and by therapy type (tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors). PROMIS Sexual Function and Satisfaction domain scores were compared across endocrine therapy groups. Results Among the 548 women with a breast cancer diagnosis, 49 % received endocrine therapy. Overall, 18 % of women reported urinary incontinence symptoms. We observed no association between urinary incontinence and endocrine therapy use overall (PR = 0.97; 95 % CI 0.67, 1.43), tamoxifen (PR = 1.20; 95 % CI 0.74, 1.96), or aromatase inhibitors (PR = 0.89; 95 % CI 0.55, 1.42), compared to no use. Approximately 55 % of women were sexually active. Sexual function scores did not vary according to endocrine therapy use, although urinary incontinence was associated with lower satisfaction scores (p = 0.05). Conclusions Our findings demonstrate a high prevalence of urinary incontinence after breast cancer diagnosis similar to the overall prevalence in older U.S. women, and this did not vary strongly according to use of endocrine therapy. PMID:27680018

  11. Diabetes, pancreatic cancer, and metformin therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jun eGong

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer carries a poor prognosis as most patients present with advanced disease and preferred chemotherapy regimens offer only modest effects on survival. Risk factors include smoking, obesity, heavy alcohol, and chronic pancreatitis. Pancreatic cancer has a complex relationship with diabetes, as diabetes can be both a risk factor for pancreatic cancer and a result of pancreatic cancer. Insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1, and certain hormones play an important role in promoting neoplasia in diabetics. Metformin appears to reduce risk for pancreatic cancer and improve survival in diabetics with pancreatic cancer primarily by decreasing insulin/IGF signaling, disrupting mitochondrial respiration, and inhibiting the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR pathway. Other potential anti-tumorigenic effects of metformin include the ability to downregulate specificity protein transcription factors and associated genes, alter microRNAs, decrease cancer stem cell proliferation, and reduce DNA damage and inflammation. Here, we review the most recent knowledge on risk factors and treatment of pancreatic cancer and the relationship between diabetes, pancreatic cancer, and metformin as a potential therapy.

  12. Progress in nonviral gene therapy for breast cancer and what comes next?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bottai, Giulia; Truffi, Marta; Corsi, Fabio; Santarpia, Libero

    2017-05-01

    The possibility of correcting defective genes and modulating gene expression through gene therapy has emerged as a promising treatment strategy for breast cancer. Furthermore, the relevance of tumor immune microenvironment in supporting the oncogenic process has paved the way for novel immunomodulatory applications of gene therapy. Areas covered: In this review, the authors describe the most relevant delivery systems, focusing on nonviral vectors, along with the description of the major approaches used to modify target cells, including gene transfer, RNA interference (RNAi), and epigenetic regulation. Furthermore, they highlight innovative therapeutic strategies and the application of gene therapy in clinical trials for breast cancer. Expert opinion: Gene therapy has the potential to impact breast cancer research. Further efforts are required to increase the clinical application of RNAi-based therapeutics, especially in combination with conventional treatments. Innovative strategies, including genome editing and stem cell-based systems, may contribute to translate gene therapy into clinical practice. Immune-based approaches have emerged as an attractive therapeutic opportunity for selected breast cancer patients. However, several challenges need to be addressed before considering gene therapy as an actual option for the treatment of breast cancer.

  13. First-line targeted therapies in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer – role of cetuximab

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giuseppe Tonini

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available Giuseppe Tonini, Alice Calvieri, Bruno Vincenzi, Daniele SantiniMedical Oncology, University Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, ItalyAbstract: Worldwide, colorectal cancer (CRC is the fourth most commonly diagnosed malignant disease and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in Western nations. In 2008 there were an estimated 148,810 new cases and 49,960 deaths in the US. For several years different chemotherapeutic regimens, based on floropyrimidines, irinotecan and oxaliplatin, have been used in advanced CRC, but survival is still unsatisfactory. New targeted therapies, including drugs and monoclonal antibodies (MoABs , show great promise in the fight against CRC and have shown activity in different disease settings. Cetuximab, a chimeric IgG1 monoclonal antibody that binds to the extracellular domain of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR, is active in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC. As an IgG1 antibody, cetuximab may exert its antitumor efficacy through both EGFR antagonism and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity. The combination of this drug with classical chemotherapies has shown better clinical profiles reflected in an improvement in overall and progression-free survival. Clinical trials established the role of cetuximab, particularly with irinotecan, in irinotecan-refractory/heavily pretreated patients. Whereas cetuximab has a clear indication in the salvage setting, its role in first-line therapy remains investigational. It is particularly encouraging that cetuximab may enhance curative opportunities in patients with early metastatic disease, suggesting that adding cetuximab in first-line therapy may downstage disease in some patients, and, as a result, allow potentially curative resection of previously unresectable metastases. In this review we will focus on the main epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors demonstrating clinical benefit, and the role of cetuximab in first-line treatment of metastatic CRC

  14. Novel Drug Delivery Technique for Breast Cancer Therapy

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Esenaliev, Rinat O

    2004-01-01

    .... We proposed to complete Task 3 and to implement Task 4 in the third year of the project. Task 3 focuses on in vivo studies of efficacy of cancer therapy with the use of ultrasound-enhanced delivery of anti-cancer drug 5-FU...

  15. Oral complications of cancer therapies. Oral complications in the pediatric population

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leggott, P.J.

    1990-01-01

    A number of acute oral complications may be associated with cancer therapy in children, but the extent and duration of these complications, and the most effective management techniques. have not been well described. The few studies differ in design, making comparisons difficult. Well-controlled, prospective clinical studies are needed to define the most effective strategies for the management of acute oral complications in children. However, it is clear that dental intervention prior to cancer therapy is an important factor in the optimal preparation of the patient. During cancer therapy, intensive supervised oral preventive protocols appear to be of benefit to the child's oral health, overall comfort, and well-being. Furthermore, the prevention of oral infection may significantly reduce the morbidity associated with cancer therapy. Long-term preventive oral care may help prevent dental disease and infection in medically compromised children and contribute to improving the quality of life. 41 references

  16. Mineral derivatives in alleviating oral mucositis during cancer therapy: a systematic review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sonia Lee

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Objectives. Oral mucositis (mouth ulcers is a cancer therapy side effect. Costly treatment interventions are often neglected in favor of cost-effective agents. This review assessed the general efficacy of mineral derivatives (a cost-effective agent in alleviating oral mucositis (OM during cancer therapy compared to the standard care, or placebo—including a decision tree to aide healthcare workers.Data Sources. Electronic searches of MEDLINE via OVID, EMBASE, CENTRAL, CANCERLIT via PubMed, and CINAHL via EBSCO (year 2000 to 11 September 2014 were undertaken for randomised controlled trials. A meta-search strategy extracted content from aggregate online databases.Review Methods. Randomized controlled trials were assessed (participants, intervention, outcome, results, and risk of bias for inclusion. The author abstracted binary and continuous data synthesised to Hedges’ g in a random effects model. The primary outcome measures were severity (incidence of peak oral mucositis, duration of oral mucositis, and time to onset; secondary outcome measures were the incidence of pain, and analgesic use. Serum mineral levels, total parenteral nutrition, and adverse events were discussed. The decision tree was mapped using sensitivity, specificity, pre-test and post-test Bayesian probability.Results. 1027 citations were identified and 16 studies were included (n = 1120; mean age 49 years. Cancer therapies consisted of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, chemo-radiotherapy, or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Outcome mineral derivatives were zinc (n = 549, calcium phosphate (n = 227, povidone-iodine (n = 228, or selenium (n = 116. Severity was measured across variable OM grading systems: In 13 studies, individuals in treatment groups (n = 958 experienced peak OM less than controls (g = −0.47, 95% CI −0.7 to −0.2, p = 0.0006; time to OM onset was significantly delayed in treatment than controls (g = −0.51, 95% CI−0.8 to −0.2, p = 0.0002; five

  17. Targeted therapies in the treatment of urothelial cancers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aragon-Ching, Jeanny B; Trump, Donald L

    2017-07-01

    Progress has been slow in systemic management of locally advanced and metastatic bladder cancer over the past 20 years. However, the recent approval of immunotherapy with atezolizumab and nivolumab for second-line salvage therapy may usher in an era of more rapid improvement. Systemic treatment is suboptimal and is an area of substantial unmet medical need. The recent findings from The Cancer Genome Atlas project revealed promising pathways that may be amenable to targeted therapies. Promising results with treatment using vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors such as ramucirumab, sunitinib or bevacizumab, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 targeted therapies, epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors, and fibroblast growth factor receptor inhibitors, are undergoing clinical trials and are discussed later. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Case report: A breast cancer patient treated with GcMAF, sonodynamic therapy and hormone therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inui, Toshio; Makita, Kaori; Miura, Hirona; Matsuda, Akiko; Kuchiike, Daisuke; Kubo, Kentaro; Mette, Martin; Uto, Yoshihiro; Nishikata, Takahito; Hori, Hitoshi; Sakamoto, Norihiro

    2014-08-01

    Gc protein-derived macrophage-activating factor (GcMAF) occurs naturally in the human body. It has various functions, such as macrophage activation and antitumor activities. Recently, immunotherapy has become an attractive new strategy in the treatment of cancer. GcMAF-based immunotherapy can be combined with many other therapies. Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) using low-intensity ultrasound is a novel therapeutic modality. Ultrasound has been demonstrated to activate a number of sonosensitive agents allowing for the possibility of non-invasive targeted treatment for both superficial and deep-seated tumors. The current case study demonstrates that GcMAF and SDT can be used in combination with conventional therapies in patients with metastatic cancer, especially where treatment options are limited due to factors such as toxicity. This case study also suggests a new concept of cancer treatment using local destruction of cancer tissue, in this case conducted with SDT, to be used in combination with GcMAF immunotherapy as a systemic treatment. Copyright© 2014 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.

  19. A systematic review of dental disease in patients undergoing cancer therapy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hong, Catherine H. L.; Napnas, Joel J.; Hodgson, Brian D.; Stokman, Monique A.; Mathers-Stauffer, Vickie; Elting, Linda S.; Spijkervet, Fred K. L.; Brennan, Michael T.

    This purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the literature and update our current understanding of the impact of present cancer therapies on the dental apparatus (teeth and periodontium) since the 1989 NIH Development Consensus Conference on the Oral Complications of Cancer Therapies. A

  20. CRISPR/Cas9 for cancer research and therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhan, Tianzuo; Rindtorff, Niklas; Betge, Johannes; Ebert, Matthias P; Boutros, Michael

    2018-04-16

    CRISPR/Cas9 has become a powerful method for making changes to the genome of many organisms. First discovered in bacteria as part of an adaptive immune system, CRISPR/Cas9 and modified versions have found a widespread use to engineer genomes and to activate or to repress the expression of genes. As such, CRISPR/Cas9 promises to accelerate cancer research by providing an efficient technology to dissect mechanisms of tumorigenesis, identify targets for drug development, and possibly arm cells for cell-based therapies. Here, we review current applications of the CRISPR/Cas9 technology for cancer research and therapy. We describe novel Cas9 variants and how they are used in functional genomics to discover novel cancer-specific vulnerabilities. Furthermore, we highlight the impact of CRISPR/Cas9 in generating organoid and mouse models of cancer. Finally, we provide an overview of the first clinical trials that apply CRISPR/Cas9 as a therapeutic approach against cancer. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  1. Pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics as tools in cancer therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodríguez-Vicente, Ana E; Lumbreras, Eva; Hernández, Jesus M; Martín, Miguel; Calles, Antonio; Otín, Carlos López; Algarra, Salvador Martín; Páez, David; Taron, Miquel

    2016-03-01

    Pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics (PGx) are rapidly growing fields that aim to elucidate the genetic basis for the interindividual differences in drug response. PGx approaches have been applied to many anticancer drugs in an effort to identify relevant inherited or acquired genetic variations that may predict patient response to chemotherapy and targeted therapies. In this article, we discuss the advances in the field of cancer pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics, driven by the recent technological advances and new revolutionary massive sequencing technologies and their application to elucidate the genetic bases for interindividual drug response and the development of biomarkers able to personalize drug treatments. Specifically, we present recent progress in breast cancer molecular classifiers, cell-free circulating DNA as a prognostic and predictive biomarker in cancer, patient-derived tumor xenograft models, chronic lymphocytic leukemia genomic landscape, and current pharmacogenetic advances in colorectal cancer. This review is based on the lectures presented by the speakers of the symposium "Pharmacogenetics and Pharmacogenomics as Tools in Cancer Therapy" from the VII Conference of the Spanish Pharmacogenetics and Pharmacogenomics Society (SEFF), held in Madrid (Spain) on April 21, 2015.

  2. Psychology and quality of life in cancer patients on radiation therapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Jong Chul; Chung, Woong Ki [Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju (Korea, Republic of)

    2004-12-15

    The object of this study is to investigate sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, psychology, self-esteem and quality of life in cancer patients on radiation therapy and to provide useful information for therapeutic approach to cancer patients on radiation therapy. The subjects were 36 patients who had been treated with radiation therapy and 20 normal people. Sociodemographic information and clinical characteristics of cancer patients on radiation therapy were investigated, and symptom checklist-90-revised, Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale for self esteem, World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment Instrument for quality of life were administered to subjects. And Spearman's correlation analysis was used among these. The tendency of somatization, depression, anxiety and hostility in cancer group were significantly higher than normal group. Self esteem and quality of life in cancer group were significantly lower than normal group. No significant difference was found in comparison of psychology, self esteem and quality of life according to sociodemographic variables. Among clinical characteristics, in the presence of metastasis in cancer patients, the scores of anxiety, phobia and paranoid ideation were higher. In patients with pain, the score of somatization was higher. And in case of weight loss, the score of somatization was higher. The higher score of depression, anxiety and hostility were significantly associated with lower self-esteem. And higher score of somatization, depression, anxiety and hostility were significantly associated with lower quality of life. Understanding and management of psychological symptoms, such as somatization, depression, anxiety, and hostility, and pain control are necessary to improve quality of life in cancer patients on radiation therapy.

  3. Psychology and quality of life in cancer patients on radiation therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Jong Chul; Chung, Woong Ki

    2004-01-01

    The object of this study is to investigate sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, psychology, self-esteem and quality of life in cancer patients on radiation therapy and to provide useful information for therapeutic approach to cancer patients on radiation therapy. The subjects were 36 patients who had been treated with radiation therapy and 20 normal people. Sociodemographic information and clinical characteristics of cancer patients on radiation therapy were investigated, and symptom checklist-90-revised, Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale for self esteem, World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment Instrument for quality of life were administered to subjects. And Spearman's correlation analysis was used among these. The tendency of somatization, depression, anxiety and hostility in cancer group were significantly higher than normal group. Self esteem and quality of life in cancer group were significantly lower than normal group. No significant difference was found in comparison of psychology, self esteem and quality of life according to sociodemographic variables. Among clinical characteristics, in the presence of metastasis in cancer patients, the scores of anxiety, phobia and paranoid ideation were higher. In patients with pain, the score of somatization was higher. And in case of weight loss, the score of somatization was higher. The higher score of depression, anxiety and hostility were significantly associated with lower self-esteem. And higher score of somatization, depression, anxiety and hostility were significantly associated with lower quality of life. Understanding and management of psychological symptoms, such as somatization, depression, anxiety, and hostility, and pain control are necessary to improve quality of life in cancer patients on radiation therapy

  4. Assessment of the Evolution of Cancer Treatment Therapies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Arruebo, Manuel [Instituto de Nanociencia de Aragón (INA), Mariano Esquillor, Edif. I+D, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50018 (Spain); CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Zaragoza 50018 (Spain); Vilaboa, Nuria [CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Zaragoza 50018 (Spain); Hospital Universitario La Paz-IdiPAZ, Paseo de la Castellana 261, Madrid 28046 (Spain); Sáez-Gutierrez, Berta; Lambea, Julio; Tres, Alejandro [Instituto de Nanociencia de Aragón (INA), Mariano Esquillor, Edif. I+D, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50018 (Spain); Servicio de Oncología Médica, Hospital Clínico Universitario Lozano Blesa, Avda. San Juan Bosco 50009, Zaragoza (Spain); Instituto Aragonés de Ciencias de la Salud (I-CS), Avda. Gómez Laguna, 25, Zaragoza 50009 (Spain); Valladares, Mónica [Lonza Biologics Porriño, A relva s/n, Porriño (Pontevedra) 36410 (Spain); González-Fernández, África, E-mail: africa@uvigo.es [Immunology Department, Biomedical Research Center (CINBIO), University of Vigo, Campus Lagoas Marcosende, Vigo (Pontevedra) 36310 (Spain)

    2011-08-12

    Cancer therapy has been characterized throughout history by ups and downs, not only due to the ineffectiveness of treatments and side effects, but also by hope and the reality of complete remission and cure in many cases. Within the therapeutic arsenal, alongside surgery in the case of solid tumors, are the antitumor drugs and radiation that have been the treatment of choice in some instances. In recent years, immunotherapy has become an important therapeutic alternative, and is now the first choice in many cases. Nanotechnology has recently arrived on the scene, offering nanostructures as new therapeutic alternatives for controlled drug delivery, for combining imaging and treatment, applying hyperthermia, and providing directed target therapy, among others. These therapies can be applied either alone or in combination with other components (antibodies, peptides, folic acid, etc.). In addition, gene therapy is also offering promising new methods for treatment. Here, we present a review of the evolution of cancer treatments, starting with chemotherapy, surgery, radiation and immunotherapy, and moving on to the most promising cutting-edge therapies (gene therapy and nanomedicine). We offer an historical point of view that covers the arrival of these therapies to clinical practice and the market, and the promises and challenges they present.

  5. Assessment of the Evolution of Cancer Treatment Therapies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arruebo, Manuel; Vilaboa, Nuria; Sáez-Gutierrez, Berta; Lambea, Julio; Tres, Alejandro; Valladares, Mónica; González-Fernández, África

    2011-01-01

    Cancer therapy has been characterized throughout history by ups and downs, not only due to the ineffectiveness of treatments and side effects, but also by hope and the reality of complete remission and cure in many cases. Within the therapeutic arsenal, alongside surgery in the case of solid tumors, are the antitumor drugs and radiation that have been the treatment of choice in some instances. In recent years, immunotherapy has become an important therapeutic alternative, and is now the first choice in many cases. Nanotechnology has recently arrived on the scene, offering nanostructures as new therapeutic alternatives for controlled drug delivery, for combining imaging and treatment, applying hyperthermia, and providing directed target therapy, among others. These therapies can be applied either alone or in combination with other components (antibodies, peptides, folic acid, etc.). In addition, gene therapy is also offering promising new methods for treatment. Here, we present a review of the evolution of cancer treatments, starting with chemotherapy, surgery, radiation and immunotherapy, and moving on to the most promising cutting-edge therapies (gene therapy and nanomedicine). We offer an historical point of view that covers the arrival of these therapies to clinical practice and the market, and the promises and challenges they present. PMID:24212956

  6. Assessment of the Evolution of Cancer Treatment Therapies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mónica Valladares

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Cancer therapy has been characterized throughout history by ups and downs, not only due to the ineffectiveness of treatments and side effects, but also by hope and the reality of complete remission and cure in many cases. Within the therapeutic arsenal, alongside surgery in the case of solid tumors, are the antitumor drugs and radiation that have been the treatment of choice in some instances. In recent years, immunotherapy has become an important therapeutic alternative, and is now the first choice in many cases. Nanotechnology has recently arrived on the scene, offering nanostructures as new therapeutic alternatives for controlled drug delivery, for combining imaging and treatment, applying hyperthermia, and providing directed target therapy, among others. These therapies can be applied either alone or in combination with other components (antibodies, peptides, folic acid, etc.. In addition, gene therapy is also offering promising new methods for treatment. Here, we present a review of the evolution of cancer treatments, starting with chemotherapy, surgery, radiation and immunotherapy, and moving on to the most promising cutting-edge therapies (gene therapy and nanomedicine. We offer an historical point of view that covers the arrival of these therapies to clinical practice and the market, and the promises and challenges they present.

  7. Assessment of the Evolution of Cancer Treatment Therapies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arruebo, Manuel; Vilaboa, Nuria; Sáez-Gutierrez, Berta; Lambea, Julio; Tres, Alejandro; Valladares, Mónica; González-Fernández, África

    2011-01-01

    Cancer therapy has been characterized throughout history by ups and downs, not only due to the ineffectiveness of treatments and side effects, but also by hope and the reality of complete remission and cure in many cases. Within the therapeutic arsenal, alongside surgery in the case of solid tumors, are the antitumor drugs and radiation that have been the treatment of choice in some instances. In recent years, immunotherapy has become an important therapeutic alternative, and is now the first choice in many cases. Nanotechnology has recently arrived on the scene, offering nanostructures as new therapeutic alternatives for controlled drug delivery, for combining imaging and treatment, applying hyperthermia, and providing directed target therapy, among others. These therapies can be applied either alone or in combination with other components (antibodies, peptides, folic acid, etc.). In addition, gene therapy is also offering promising new methods for treatment. Here, we present a review of the evolution of cancer treatments, starting with chemotherapy, surgery, radiation and immunotherapy, and moving on to the most promising cutting-edge therapies (gene therapy and nanomedicine). We offer an historical point of view that covers the arrival of these therapies to clinical practice and the market, and the promises and challenges they present

  8. Effect of Thyrotropin Suppression Therapy on Bone in Thyroid Cancer Patients

    OpenAIRE

    Papaleontiou, Maria; Hawley, Sarah T.; Haymart, Megan R.

    2015-01-01

    Background. The thyroid cancer incidence is rising. Despite current guidelines, controversy exists regarding the degree and duration of thyrotropin suppression therapy. Also, its potential skeletal effects remain a concern to physicians caring for thyroid cancer patients. We conducted a review of published data to evaluate existing studies focusing on the skeletal effects of thyrotropin suppression therapy in thyroid cancer patients. Materials and Methods. A systematic search of the PubMed, O...

  9. Radiation therapy for localized prostate cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taylor, W.J.; Richardson, G.; Hafermann, M.D.

    1979-01-01

    Since 1965, 401 patients with prostate cancer have received intensive local pelvic radiation therapy at the Virginia Mason Medical Center. Two hundred twenty-one of this series were in the Stage C category. The 36 Stage B cancers were either medically nonoperable, or advanced extent, or had high-grade histopathology. Ten patients each were in diffuse Stage A or Stage D groups, the latter receiving local palliative inensive treatment to the prostate area. The mean age of the patients was 67.6 years. The five year survival of the Stage C group was 57.7%. There was no apparent influence on the survival of irradiated Stage C patients who received estrogen therapy. Current treatment techniques employ 10 megavolt photon beam with whole pelvic nodal fields and bilateral are rotational boost fields. The incidence of reactions and complications is presented

  10. The breast cancer patient's experience of making radiation therapy treatment decisions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Halkett, Georgia; Scutter, Sheila; Arbon, Paul; Borg, Martin

    2005-01-01

    Women who are diagnosed with breast cancer have many decisions to make during the course of their treatment. The aims of this paper are to describe the women's experience of making radiation therapy treatment decisions for early breast cancer and to explore how women feel about receiving radiation therapy. An in-depth understanding of the women's experience was developed using a qualitative research approach underpinned by hermeneutic phenomenology. In-depth interviews were conducted with 18 women who had completed treatment for early breast cancer. The themes that emerged from the data were: being challenged, getting ready, beyond control, regaining a sense of control and getting through it. This study provides health professionals with an initial understanding of the women's perspective of the experience of making radiation therapy treatment decisions for early breast cancer. This study concludes by suggesting that further research needs to be conducted to gain an understanding of how other patients feel about treatment decision making and radiation therapy. Copyright (2005) Australian Institute of Radiography

  11. Health care factors associated with survival among women with breast cancer on hormone therapy in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2004 – 2010

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cláudia de Brito

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objectives To better understand the role that health care plays in breast cancer survival by investigating the effects that hormone therapy adherence and other select health care variables, adjusted for clinical and sociodemographic factors, had among a population of women in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Methods This was a longitudinal study based on secondary data of 5 861 women treated with hormone therapy (tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors at the National Cancer Institute of Brazil (INCA, from 1 January 2004 – 29 October 2010. Four different sources of data were integrated for analysis: INCA Pharmacy Sector Dispensation System; Hospital-based Cancer Registry; Integrated Hospital System and INCA Absolute System; and Mortality Information System. Analyses explored the effects of adherence to hormone therapy, disease care aspects, and sociodemographic, behavioral, and clinical variables, on the time of survival, using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards models. Results The general survival rate was 94% in the first year after initiation of hormone therapy, and 71% in the fifth year. The Cox model indicated a higher hazard of death among women smokers, with more hospitalizations, more exams, and, among those who used, who used only aromatase inhibitors, as hormone therapy modality. The hazard was lower among women with a partner (stable relationship, a high school or college education a family history of cancer, and those who were treated by a mastologist, oncologist, and/or psychotherapist, who underwent surgery, and who adhered to hormone therapy. Conclusions The study indicated more vulnerable sub-groups and the aspects of care that provide best results, bringing new knowledge to improve assistance to this group of women.

  12. Chromatin-regulating proteins as targets for cancer therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oike, Takahiro; Ogiwara, Hideaki; Kohno, Takashi; Amornwichet, Napapat; Nakano, Takashi

    2014-01-01

    Chromatin-regulating proteins represent a large class of novel targets for cancer therapy. In the context of radiotherapy, acetylation and deacetylation of histones by histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs) play important roles in the repair of DNA double-strand breaks generated by ionizing irradiation, and are therefore attractive targets for radiosensitization. Small-molecule inhibitors of HATs (garcinol, anacardic acid and curcumin) and HDACs (vorinostat, sodium butyrate and valproic acid) have been shown to sensitize cancer cells to ionizing irradiation in preclinical models, and some of these molecules are being tested in clinical trials, either alone or in combination with radiotherapy. Meanwhile, recent large-scale genome analyses have identified frequent mutations in genes encoding chromatin-regulating proteins, especially in those encoding subunits of the SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling complex, in various human cancers. These observations have driven researchers toward development of targeted therapies against cancers carrying these mutations. DOT1L inhibition in MLL-rearranged leukemia, EZH2 inhibition in EZH2-mutant or MLL-rearranged hematologic malignancies and SNF5-deficient tumors, BRD4 inhibition in various hematologic malignancies, and BRM inhibition in BRG1-deficient tumors have demonstrated promising anti-tumor effects in preclinical models, and these strategies are currently awaiting clinical application. Overall, the data collected so far suggest that targeting chromatin-regulating proteins is a promising strategy for tomorrow's cancer therapy, including radiotherapy and molecularly targeted chemotherapy. (author)

  13. Controversies in breast cancer: adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montemurro, Filippo; Redana, Stefania; Valabrega, Giorgio; Aglietta, Massimo

    2005-06-01

    Initial randomised studies of chemotherapy and endocrine therapy showed that systemic treatments had a substantial impact on the survival of women with early breast cancer. The original assumption was that the efficacy of these treatments was limited to those patients presenting with more adverse prognostic features. Subsequently, meta-analyses of randomised trials revealed that the benefits of chemotherapy and endocrine therapy are not mutually exclusive and extend to all the prognostic subgroups. However, the absolute benefit varies according to baseline characteristics such as tumour stage and other biological factors. Over the last 10 years, considerable progress has been made with the introduction of new drugs into the adjuvant and neoadjuvant treatment of women with breast cancer. Taxanes and third-generation aromatase inhibitors are providing proof of additional benefits compared with standard reference treatments. In parallel, research on the biology of breast cancer is establishing novel prognostic and predictive factors, which may allow better treatment tailoring. Currently, however, women with early breast cancer and their doctors face the difficult task of making therapeutic decisions often based on early results from positive studies. In a disease where follow up is crucial to fully assess the benefit and long-term toxicities of an intervention, current knowledge leaves unanswered questions that generate debate and controversy. This review will summarise recent results from randomised trials of adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapy in women with early breast cancer and focus on the current controversies.

  14. Impact of prognostic factors for postmastectomy radiation therapy of breast cancer patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simonov, K. A.; Startseva, Zh. A.; Slonimskaya, E. M.; Velikaya, V. V.

    2017-09-01

    The study included 196 breast cancer patients with stages T1-3N0-3M0. The comprehensive therapy for breast cancer included surgical operation, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Multivariate analysis showed that multifocality growth of tumor (p = 0.004), high grade III (p = 0.008), two metastatic lymph nodes (p = 0.02) were associated with an increased risk of regional node failure in the patients with one to three positive lymph nodes. The prognostic models describing the probability of local recurrences of breast cancer were developed for individualization of the radiation therapy tactics. Postmastectomy radiation therapy in the patients with high-risk breast cancer treated with modified radical mastectomy improves locoregional control, breast cancer-specific survival, does not increase late toxicity.

  15. Use of molecular markers for predicting therapy response in cancer patients.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Duffy, Michael J

    2012-02-01

    Predictive markers are factors that are associated with upfront response or resistance to a particular therapy. Predictive markers are important in oncology as tumors of the same tissue of origin vary widely in their response to most available systemic therapies. Currently recommended oncological predictive markers include both estrogen and progesterone receptors for identifying patients with breast cancers likely to benefit from hormone therapy, HER-2 for the identification of breast cancer patients likely to benefit from trastuzumab, specific K-RAS mutations for the identification of patients with advanced colorectal cancer unlikely to benefit from either cetuximab or panitumumab and specific EGFR mutations for selecting patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer for treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as gefitinib and erlotinib. The availability of predictive markers should increase drug efficacy and decrease toxicity, thus leading to a more personalized approach to cancer treatment.

  16. Breast Cancer After Chest Radiation Therapy for Childhood Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moskowitz, Chaya S.; Chou, Joanne F.; Wolden, Suzanne L.; Bernstein, Jonine L.; Malhotra, Jyoti; Friedman, Danielle Novetsky; Mubdi, Nidha Z.; Leisenring, Wendy M.; Stovall, Marilyn; Hammond, Sue; Smith, Susan A.; Henderson, Tara O.; Boice, John D.; Hudson, Melissa M.; Diller, Lisa R.; Bhatia, Smita; Kenney, Lisa B.; Neglia, Joseph P.; Begg, Colin B.; Robison, Leslie L.; Oeffinger, Kevin C.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose The risk of breast cancer is high in women treated for a childhood cancer with chest irradiation. We sought to examine variations in risk resulting from irradiation field and radiation dose. Patients and Methods We evaluated cumulative breast cancer risk in 1,230 female childhood cancer survivors treated with chest irradiation who were participants in the CCSS (Childhood Cancer Survivor Study). Results Childhood cancer survivors treated with lower delivered doses of radiation (median, 14 Gy; range, 2 to 20 Gy) to a large volume (whole-lung field) had a high risk of breast cancer (standardized incidence ratio [SIR], 43.6; 95% CI, 27.2 to 70.3), as did survivors treated with high doses of delivered radiation (median, 40 Gy) to the mantle field (SIR, 24.2; 95% CI, 20.7 to 28.3). The cumulative incidence of breast cancer by age 50 years was 30% (95% CI, 25 to 34), with a 35% incidence among Hodgkin lymphoma survivors (95% CI, 29 to 40). Breast cancer–specific mortality at 5 and 10 years was 12% (95% CI, 8 to 18) and 19% (95% CI, 13 to 25), respectively. Conclusion Among women treated for childhood cancer with chest radiation therapy, those treated with whole-lung irradiation have a greater risk of breast cancer than previously recognized, demonstrating the importance of radiation volume. Importantly, mortality associated with breast cancer after childhood cancer is substantial. PMID:24752044

  17. [Medical treatment of breast cancer: chemotherapy and tailored therapy].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dalenc, Florence

    2013-12-01

    The utility of adjuvant chemotherapy is clearly demonstrated because she significantly improved relapse and mortality. Globally, we report a one-third breast cancer mortality reduction. Nevertheless, the absolute or individual benefit is uncertain and the final decision depends on benefit-risk balance, integrating tumor biologic characteristics and comorbidities. The most effective regimen must contain an anthracycline and a taxane. This regimen must be proposed if chemotherapy indication is considered: this concerns the majority of triple-negative and HER2-positive cancer For hormone-receptor-positive and HER2-negative breast cancer, the decision of adjuvant or not (in addition to hormonal therapy) is most difficult, particularly for grade 2 tumors. The trastuzumab is an essential treatment for HER2-positive breast cancer, because this tailored therapy has considerably improved the prognosis.

  18. Effect of physical therapy on breast cancer related lymphedema

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tambour, Mette; Tange, Berit; Christensen, Robin Daniel Kjersgaard

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Physical therapy treatment of patients with lymphedema includes treatment based on the principles of 'Complete Decongestive Therapy' (CDT). CDT consists of the following components; skin care, manual lymphatic drainage, bandaging and exercises. The scientific evidence regarding what...... trial. A total of 160 breast cancer patients with arm lymphedema will be recruited from 3 hospitals and randomized into one of two treatment groups A: Complete Decongestive Therapy including manual drainage or B: Complete Decongestive Therapy without manual lymphatic drainage. The intervention period...... type of treatment is most effective is sparse. The objective of this study is to investigate whether CDT is equally effective if it includes manual lymphatic drainage or not in the treatment of arm lymphedema among patients with breast cancer. METHODS/DESIGN: A randomized, single-blind, equivalence...

  19. Patterns of care study and evidence based medicine for radiation therapy. Prostate cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakamura, Katsumasa; Mitsuhashi, Norio

    2002-01-01

    In Japan, where the mortality rate of prostate cancer is lower than in Western countries, there is little evidence of radiation therapy for prostate cancer. Therefore, we have to refer to the evidence of radiation therapy from Western countries, but we should pay attention to the differences of cultural, racial, or social background between Japan and Western countries. The Patterns of Care Study (PCS) was conducted in Japan and extramural audits were performed for 50 randomly selected institutions. Detailed information of 311 prostate cancer patients without distant metastases and other cancers, who were treated with radiation therapy in 1996-1998, was collected. In this article, the results of PCS for primary prostate cancer were shown, with a review of literature for the appropriate choice of radiation therapy. This study was supported by the Grantin-Aid for Cancer Research from Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (10-17). (author)

  20. Interleukin-2 Therapy of Cancer

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Bubeník, Jan

    2004-01-01

    Roč. 50, 3-4 (2004), s. 120-130 ISSN 0015-5500 R&D Projects: GA MZd NC7148; GA ČR GA301/04/0492; GA AV ČR IAA5052203 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z5052915 Keywords : interleukin 2 * cancer therapy Subject RIV: EC - Immunology Impact factor: 0.507, year: 2004

  1. Radiotherapy of breast cancer and dispensary control after the therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Odontuya, G.

    1995-01-01

    During the last several years breast cancer is increasing in Mongolia. During 5 years(1990-1994) 142 patients with breast cancer were treated in department of radiology. The 96(77,6%) of those patients were treated by combined radiation therapy and surgery. The 46(32,4%) of those patients were treated palliative therapy. A conclusion:1.Organizing the preventive different examinations among the population in the servicing sphere, involving the family doctors to them. 2.Detection and screening breast cancer in the first period, very important for treatment every patients

  2. Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Based Tumor-Targeted Gene Therapy in Gastrointestinal Cancer

    OpenAIRE

    Bao, Qi; Zhao, Yue; Niess, Hanno; Conrad, Claudius; Schwarz, Bettina; Jauch, Karl-Walter; Huss, Ralf; Nelson, Peter J.; Bruns, Christiane J.

    2012-01-01

    Mesenchymal stem (or stromal) cells (MSCs) are nonhematopoietic progenitor cells that can be obtained from bone marrow aspirates or adipose tissue, expanded and genetically modified in vitro, and then used for cancer therapeutic strategies in vivo. Here, we review available data regarding the application of MSC-based tumor-targeted therapy in gastrointestinal cancer, provide an overview of the general history of MSC-based gene therapy in cancer research, and discuss potential problems associa...

  3. Cediranib, a pan-VEGFR inhibitor, and olaparib, a PARP inhibitor, in combination therapy for high grade serous ovarian cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ivy, S Percy; Liu, Joyce F; Lee, Jung-Min; Matulonis, Ursula A; Kohn, Elise C

    2016-01-01

    An estimated 22,000 women are diagnosed annually with ovarian cancer in the United States. Initially chemo-sensitive, recurrent disease ultimately becomes chemoresistant and may kill ~14,000 women annually. Molecularly targeted therapy with cediranib (AZD2171), a vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)-1, 2, and 3 signaling blocker, and olaparib (AZD2281), a poly(adenosine diphosphate [ADP]-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, administered orally in combination has shown anti-tumor activity in the treatment of high grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). This combination has the potential to change the treatment of HGSOC. Preclinical and clinical studies of single agent cediranib and olaparib or their combination are reviewed. Data are presented from peer-reviewed published manuscripts, completed and ongoing early phase clinical trials registered in ClinicalTrials.gov, National Cancer Institute-sponsored clinical trials, and related recent abstracts. Advances in the treatment of HGSOC that improve progression-free and overall survival have proven elusive despite examination of molecularly targeted therapy. HGSOC patients with deleterious germline or somatic mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 (BRCAm) are most responsive to PARP inhibitors (PARPi). PARPi combined with angiogenesis inhibition improved anti-cancer response and duration in both BRCAm and BRCA wild type HGSOC patients, compared to olaparib single agent treatment, demonstrating therapeutic chemical and contextual synthetic lethality.

  4. Colorectal cancer heterogeneity and targeted therapy: a case for molecular disease subtypes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Linnekamp, Janneke F.; Wang, Xin; Medema, Jan Paul; Vermeulen, Louis

    2015-01-01

    Personalized cancer medicine is becoming increasingly important in colorectal cancer treatment. Especially for targeted therapies, large variations between individual treatment responses exist. Predicting therapy response is of utmost significance, as it prevents overtreatment and adverse effects in

  5. Advances in Viral Vector-Based TRAIL Gene Therapy for Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Norian, Lyse A.; James, Britnie R.; Griffith, Thomas S.

    2011-01-01

    Numerous biologic approaches are being investigated as anti-cancer therapies in an attempt to induce tumor regression while circumventing the toxic side effects associated with standard chemo- or radiotherapies. Among these, tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) has shown particular promise in pre-clinical and early clinical trials, due to its preferential ability to induce apoptotic cell death in cancer cells and its minimal toxicity. One limitation of TRAIL use is the fact that many tumor types display an inherent resistance to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. To circumvent this problem, researchers have explored a number of strategies to optimize TRAIL delivery and to improve its efficacy via co-administration with other anti-cancer agents. In this review, we will focus on TRAIL-based gene therapy approaches for the treatment of malignancies. We will discuss the main viral vectors that are being used for TRAIL gene therapy and the strategies that are currently being attempted to improve the efficacy of TRAIL as an anti-cancer therapeutic

  6. Radiation Therapy in Elderly Skin Cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Jin Hee [Keimyung University College of Medicine, Daegu (Korea, Republic of)

    2008-06-15

    To evaluate the long term results (local control, survival, failure, and complications) after radiation therapy for skin cancer in elderly patients. The study spanned from January 1990 to October 2002. Fifteen elderly patients with skin cancer were treated by radiotherapy at the Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center. The age distribution of the patients surveyed was 72 to 95 years, with a median age of 78.8 years. The pathologic classification of the 15 patients included squamous cell carcinoma (10 patients), basal cell carcinoma (3 patients), verrucous carcinoma (1 patient) and skin adnexal origin carcinoma (1 patient). The most common tumor location was the head (13 patients). The mean tumor diameter was 4.9 cm (range 2 to 9 cm). The radiation dose was delivered via an electron beam of 6 to 15 MeV. The dose range was adjusted to the tumor diameter and depth of tumor invasion. The total radiation dose ranged from 50{approx}80 Gy (mean: 66 Gy) with a 2 Gy fractional dose prescribed to the 80% isodose line once a day and 5 times a week. One patient with lymph node metastasis was treated with six MV photon beams boosted with electron beams. The length of the follow-up periods ranged from 10 to 120 months with a median follow-up period of 48 months. The local control rates were 100% (15/15). In addition, the five year disease free survival rate (5YDFS) was 80% and twelve patients (80%) had no recurrence and skin cancer recurrence occurred in 3 patients (20%). Three patients have lived an average of 90 months (68{approx}120 months) without recurrence or metastasis. A total of 9 patients who died as a result of other causes had a mean survival time of 55.8 months after radiation therapy. No severe acute or chronic complications were observed after radiation therapy. Only minor complications including radiation dermatitis was treated with supportive care. The results suggest that radiation therapy is an effective and safe treatment method for the treatment of skin

  7. Drug therapy for hereditary cancers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Imyanitov Evgeny N

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Tumors arising in patients with hereditary cancer syndromes may have distinct drug sensitivity as compared to their sporadic counterparts. Breast and ovarian neoplasms from BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation carriers are characterized by deficient homologous recombination (HR of DNA, that makes them particularly sensitive to platinum compounds or inhibitors of poly (ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP. Outstandingly durable complete responses to high dose chemotherapy have been observed in several cases of BRCA-related metastatic breast cancer (BC. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that women with BRCA1-related BC may derive less benefit from taxane-based treatment than other categories of BC patients. There is virtually no reports directly assessing drug response in hereditary colorectal cancer (CRC patients; studies involving non-selected (i.e., both sporadic and hereditary CRC with high-level microsatellite instability (MSI-H suggest therapeutic advantage of irinotecan. Celecoxib has been approved for the treatment of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP. Hereditary medullary thyroid cancers (MTC have been shown to be highly responsive to a multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor vandetanib, which exerts specific activity towards mutated RET receptor. Given the rapidly improving accessibility of DNA analysis, it is foreseen that the potential predictive value of cancer-associated germ-line mutations will be increasingly considered in the future studies.

  8. Nanotechnology for Cancer Therapy Based on Chemotherapy

    OpenAIRE

    Chen-Yang Zhao; Rui Cheng; Zhe Yang; Zhong-Min Tian

    2018-01-01

    Chemotherapy has been widely applied in clinics. However, the therapeutic potential of chemotherapy against cancer is seriously dissatisfactory due to the nonspecific drug distribution, multidrug resistance (MDR) and the heterogeneity of cancer. Therefore, combinational therapy based on chemotherapy mediated by nanotechnology, has been the trend in clinical research at present, which can result in a remarkably increased therapeutic efficiency with few side effects to normal tissues. Moreover,...

  9. Radiation therapy for prostate cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koontz, Bridget F; Lee, W Robert

    2013-07-01

    Radiation therapy is an effective treatment for newly diagnosed prostate cancer, salvage treatment, or for palliation of advanced disease. Herein we briefly discuss the indications, results, and complications associated with brachytherapy and external beam radiotherapy, when used as monotherapy and in combination with each other or androgen deprivation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Targeted cancer gene therapy : the flexibility of adenoviral gene therapy vectors

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rots, MG; Curiel, DT; Gerritsen, WR; Haisma, HJ

    2003-01-01

    Recombinant adenoviral vectors are promising reagents for therapeutic interventions in humans, including gene therapy for biologically complex diseases like cancer and cardiovascular diseases. In this regard, the major advantage of adenoviral vectors is their superior in vivo gene transfer

  11. Validity and reliability testing of two instruments to measure breast cancer patients' concerns and information needs relating to radiation therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kristjanson Linda J

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background It is difficult to determine the most effective approach to patient education or tailor education interventions for patients in radiotherapy without tools that assess patients' specific radiation therapy information needs and concerns. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop psychometrically sound tools to adequately determine the concerns and information needs of cancer patients during radiation therapy. Patients and Methods Two tools were developed to (1 determine patients concerns about radiation therapy (RT Concerns Scale and (2 ascertain patient's information needs at different time point during their radiation therapy (RT Information Needs Scale. Tools were based on previous research by the authors, published literature on breast cancer and radiation therapy and information behaviour research. Thirty-one breast cancer patients completed the questionnaire on one occasion and thirty participants completed the questionnaire on a second occasion to facilitate test-retest reliability. One participant's responses were removed from the analysis. Results were analysed for content validity, internal consistency and stability over time. Results Both tools demonstrated high internal consistency and adequate stability over time. The nine items in the RT Concerns Scale were retained because they met all pre-set psychometric criteria. Two items were deleted from the RT Information Needs Scale because they did not meet content validity criteria and did not achieve pre-specified criteria for internal consistency. This tool now contains 22 items. Conclusion This paper provides preliminary data suggesting that the two tools presented are reliable and valid and would be suitable for use in trials or in the clinical setting.

  12. Baseline measure of health-related quality of life (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Esophagus) is associated with overall survival in patients with esophageal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kidane, Biniam; Sulman, Joanne; Xu, Wei; Kong, Qin Quinn; Wong, Rebecca; Knox, Jennifer J; Darling, Gail E

    2016-06-01

    Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Esophagus is a health-related quality of life instrument validated in patients with esophageal cancer. It is composed of a general component and an esophageal cancer subscale. Our objective was to determine whether the baseline Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Esophagus and esophageal cancer subscale scores are associated with survival in patients with stage II and III cancer of the gastroesophageal junction or thoracic esophagus. Data from 4 prospective studies in Canadian academic hospitals were combined. These included consecutive patients with stage II and III esophageal cancer who received neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgery or chemoradiation/radiation alone. All patients completed baseline Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Esophagus. Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Esophagus and esophageal cancer subscale scores were dichotomized on the basis of median scores. Cox regression analyses were performed. There were 207 patients treated between 1996 and 2014. Mean age was 61 ± 10.6 years. Approximately 69.6% of patients (n = 144) had adenocarcinoma. All patients had more than 9 months of follow-up. In patients with stage II and III, 93 deaths were observed. When treated as continuous variables, baseline Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Esophagus and esophageal cancer subscale were associated with survival with hazard ratios of 0.89 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.81-0.96; P = .005) and 0.68 (95% CI, 0.56-0.82; P cancer being considered for therapy, higher baseline Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Esophagus and esophageal cancer subscale were independently associated with longer survival, even after adjusting for age, stage, histology, and therapy received. Further study is needed, but Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Esophagus may be useful as a prognostic tool to inform patient decision-making and patient selection criteria for studies. Copyright © 2016 The American

  13. Efficacy of breast conservation therapy in early stage bilateral breast cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Misa M.; Chen, Luci M.; Heimann, Ruth; Powers, Claire; Weichselbaum, Ralph R.

    1996-01-01

    PURPOSE: To evaluate outcome of patients with bilateral breast cancer as compared to unilateral breast cancer treated with breast conservation therapy. This is a complex issue, however, we address this by comparing (1) synchronous bilateral breast cancer patients, (2) metachronous bilateral breast cancer patients from the time of diagnosis of the second breast primary, and (3) unilateral breast cancer patients. The authors recognize that there are inherent biases in these comparisons. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 60 bilateral patients and 1080 unilateral patients treated with breast conservation therapy from 1977-1994 were analyzed for outcome. Of the 60 bilateral patients, 44 were metachronous bilateral breast cancer patients (MBBC) and 16 were synchronous breast cancer patients (SBBC). Patients with bilateral breast cancer had local-regional disease with the following tumor stages: DCIS=8%, T1=80%, T2=12%, pathologic N0=90%, pathologic N+=10%. Unilateral patients had the following tumor stages: DCIS=10%, T1=66%, T2=20%, T3=1.2%, Tx=2%, pathological N0=80%, pathological N+=19%, and NX=1%. The majority of patients received lumpectomy and axillary node dissection followed by radiation therapy. The median size of the lesions were 1.4cm and 1.5cm for bilateral and unilateral patients, respectively. Median total dose to the primary tumor was 60Gy for both unilateral and bilateral patients. Of the 44 metachronous bilateral breast cancer patients, 14 patients received breast conservation for both the first and second lesions while 30 patients had breast conservation for only the second metachronous breast lesion. Thus 58 lesions in the 44 patients were treated with breast conservation therapy in the patients with metachronous bilateral breast cancer. Of the synchronous bilateral breast cancer patients, 13 out of 16 patients had breast conserving therapy for both breasts, and 3 patients received mastectomy for the second synchronous breast tumor. The median follow

  14. Influence of accompanying immunocorrecting therapy on the quality of life of breast cancer patients at post-operative radiation therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prokhach, N.E.

    2013-01-01

    To investigate the influence of accompanying immunotherapy on the parameters of the quality of life of the patients with breast cancer with various profiles of cytokines at post-operative radiation therapy. The study was performed on 30 breast cancer patients at stages of combination therapy

  15. Radiation therapy combined with hyperthermia in advanced cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okuma, Akiko; Terashima, Hiromi; Torii, Yoshikuni; Nakata, Hajime; Inatomi, Hisato

    1986-01-01

    Radiation therapy combined with radiofrequency (RF) hyperthermia was performed on 5 advanced cancer patients. Included were one each with urinary bladder cancer, hepatoma with left axillary node metastasis, breast cancer, tongue cancer with left cervical metastasis, and mandibular cancer. All had large tumors, which were judged to be uncontrollable by radiotherapy alone. They were treated with irradiation (Linac: 10 MV X-ray 1.8 - 2.0 Gy/day, 5 days/week), followed within an hour by RF hyperthermia once or twice a week. Partial response was obtained in the urinary bladder cancer patient. Surface overheating around the margin of electrodes occurred in all but no severe complications were observed. (author)

  16. [PMU therapy of recurrent gastric cancer. A case report].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohyama, S; Yonemura, Y; Matsuki, N; Miyata, R; Noto, H; Sakuma, H; Yagi, M; Sawa, T; Ogino, S; Miyazaka, I

    1986-03-01

    A 56-year-old woman with recurrent gastric cancer treated with PMU therapy, combined CDDP 75 mg/m2 i.v. MMC 10 mg/body i.v. and UFT 400mg/body/2 alpha/day p.o., was reported. She was admitted because of cervical lymph node swelling and abdominal tumor (para-aorta lymph node swelling). She was treated two times with this therapy and induced into complete remission. The serum CEA level, more than 500 ng/ml before the treatment, was reduced to 6.7 ng/ml after treatment. She has currently been free of disease for more than four weeks. We conclude that this PMU therapy is extremely effective for indurable gastric cancer.

  17. Adjuvant neutron therapy in complex treatment of patients with locally advanced breast cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lisin, V. A.; Velikaya, V. V.; Startseva, Zh. A.; Popova, N. O.; Goldberg, V. E.

    2017-09-01

    The study included 128 patients with stage T2-4N0-3M0 locally advanced breast cancer. All patients were divided into two groups. Group I (study group) consisted of 68 patients, who received neutron therapy, and group II (control group) comprised 60 patients, who received electron beam therapy. Neutron therapy was well tolerated by the patients and 1-2 grade radiation skin reactions were the most common. Neutron therapy was shown to be effective in multimodality treatment of the patients with locally advanced breast cancer. The 8-year recurrence-free survival rate in the patients with locally advanced breast cancer was 94.5 ± 4.1% after neutron therapy and 81.4 ± 5.9% after electron beam therapy (p = 0.05).

  18. Iodine-123 metaiodobenzylguanidine in the assessment of late cardiac effects from cancer therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Valdes Olmos, R.A.; Bokkel Huinink, W.W. ten; Dewit, L.G.H.; Hoefnagel, C.A.; Liem, I.H.; Tinteren, H. van

    1996-01-01

    Recognition of adverse late cardiac effects from cancer therapy may enable identification of patients with risk of cardiotoxicity upon cancer retreatment. In this study the feasibility of using iodine-123 metaiodobenzylguanidine ( 123 I-MIBG) heart scintigraphy to detect abnormalities of the myocardial adrenergic neurone function in the late period after cancer therapy was evaluated in relation to the left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) in 18 cancer patients: 11 had undergone thoracic irradiation involving the heart, in five cases in combination with anthracycline therapy, 11-228 months (median 60 months) before radionuclide tests, while seven had not received previous anthracycline and/or radiotherapy (controls). The 123 I-MIBG cardiac uptake, expressed as a heart-to-mediastinum ratio on planar images after 4 h, ranged from 1.21 to 1.76 (median 1.56) in cancer therapy patients, which was significantly decreased (P=0.0006) in comparison with controls (range 1.81-2.06, median 1.9). The myocardial 123 I-MIBG washout, calculated from planar images after 15 min and 4 h, and LVEF also showed significant differences, but with some overlap in individual cases. In cancer therapy patients, cardiac abnormalities seen on planar images and additional single-photon emission tomographic images varied from focal defects to diffusely reduced myocardial uptake. It is concluded that 123 I-MIBG heart scintigraphy, which is able to identify cardiac adrenergic neurone abnormalities in the follow-up period after cancer therapy, may help to identify relapsed patients who are at increased risk of developing cardiotoxicity during retreatment with cardiotoxic therapy modalities. (orig.). With 4 figs., 2 tabs

  19. VAV3 mediates resistance to breast cancer endocrine therapy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    H. Aguilar (Helena); A. Urruticoechea (Ander); P. Halonen (Pasi); K. Kiyotani (Kazuma); T. Mushiroda (Taisei); X. Barril (Xavier); J. Serra-Musach (Jordi); A.B.M.M.K. Islam (Abul); L. Caizzi (Livia); L. Di Croce (Luciano); E. Nevedomskaya (Ekaterina); W. Zwart (Wilbert); J. Bostner (Josefine); E. Karlsson (Elin); G. Pérez Tenorio (Gizeh); T. Fornander (Tommy); D.C. Sgroi (Dennis); R. Garcia-Mata (Rafael); M.P.H.M. Jansen (Maurice); N. García (Nadia); N. Bonifaci (Núria); F. Climent (Fina); E. Soler (Eric); A. Rodríguez-Vida (Alejo); M. Gil (Miguel); J. Brunet (Joan); G. Martrat (Griselda); L. Gómez-Baldó (Laia); A.I. Extremera (Ana); J. Figueras; J. Balart (Josep); R. Clarke (Robert); K.L. Burnstein (Kerry); K.E. Carlson (Kathryn); J.A. Katzenellenbogen (John); M. Vizoso (Miguel); M. Esteller (Manel); A. Villanueva (Alberto); A.B. Rodríguez-Peña (Ana); X.R. Bustelo (Xosé); Y. Nakamura (Yusuke); H. Zembutsu (Hitoshi); O. Stål (Olle); R.L. Beijersbergen (Roderick); M.A. Pujana (Miguel)

    2014-01-01

    textabstractIntroduction: Endocrine therapies targeting cell proliferation and survival mediated by estrogen receptor α (ERα) are among the most effective systemic treatments for ERα-positive breast cancer. However, most tumors initially responsive to these therapies acquire resistance through

  20. Rapid response of breast cancer to neoadjuvant intramammary testosterone-anastrozole therapy: neoadjuvant hormone therapy in breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glaser, Rebecca L; Dimitrakakis, Constantine

    2014-06-01

    Experimental and clinical data support the inhibitory effect of testosterone on breast tissue and breast cancer. However, testosterone is aromatized to estradiol, which exerts the opposite effect. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of testosterone, combined with the aromatase inhibitor anastrozole, on a hormone receptor positive, infiltrating ductal carcinoma in the neoadjuvant setting. To determine clinical response, we obtained serial ultrasonic measurements and mammograms before and after therapy. Three combination implants-each containing 60 mg of testosterone and 4 mg of anastrozole-were placed anterior, superior, and inferior to a 2.4-cm tumor in the left breast. Three additional testosterone-anastrozole implants were again placed peritumorally 48 days later. By day 46, there was a sevenfold reduction in tumor volume, as measured on ultrasound. By week 13, we documented a 12-fold reduction in tumor volume, demonstrating a rapid logarithmic response to intramammary testosterone-anastrozole implant therapy, equating to a daily response rate of 2.78% and a tumor half-life of 23 days. Therapeutic systemic levels of testosterone were achieved without elevation of estradiol, further demonstrating the efficacy of anastrozole combined with testosterone. This novel therapy, delivered in the neoadjuvant setting, has the potential to identify early responders and to evaluate the effectiveness of therapy in vivo. This may prove to be a new approach to both local and systemic therapies for breast cancer in subgroups of patients. In addition, it can be used to reduce tumor volume, allowing for less surgical intervention and better cosmetic oncoplastic results.

  1. A Systematic Review of Psychosocial Interventions to Cancer Caregivers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fang Fu

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To systematically review the effect of psychosocial interventions on improving QoL, depression and anxiety of cancer caregivers.Methods: We conducted a systematic review of psychosocial interventions among adult cancer caregivers published from 2011 to 2016. PsycINFO, PubMed, Proquest, Cochrane Library, Embase, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts (ASSIA, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI and EBSCO, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI and WANFANG were searched. Inclusion criteria were: randomized controlled trails (RCTs; psychosocial intervention to cancer caregivers; psychosocial health indicators including quality of life, depression or anxiety.Results: 21 studies out of 4,666 identified abstracts met inclusion criteria, including 19 RCTs. The intervention modes fell into the following nine categories: family connect intervention, self-determination theory-based intervention (SDT, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT, emotion-focused therapy (EFT, comprehensive health enhancement support system (CHESS, FOCUS programme, existential behavioral therapy (EBT, telephone interpersonal counseling (TIP-C, problem-solving intervention (COPE.Conclusion: paired-intervention targeting self-care and interpersonal connections of caregivers and symptom management of patients is effective in improving quality of life and alleviating depression of cancer caregivers while music therapy is helpful for reducing anxiety of cancer caregivers.

  2. Exosomes: Some approaches to cancer diagnosis and therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shtam, T.; Samsonov, R.; Kamyshinsky, R.; Pantina, R.; Verlov, N.; Vasiliev, A.; Konevega, A. L.; Malek, A. V.

    2017-09-01

    Exosomes are membrane-bound, intercellular communication shuttle vesicles that are defined by their endocytic origin and size range of 30-120 nm. Secreted by nearly all mammalian cell types and present in bodily fluids, exosomes confer messages between cells, by transporting functionally relevant proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids. The capability of tumor exosomes to house tumorigenic information and induce cellular responses that promote disease pathogenesis make tumor exosomes an attractive tool in identifying cancer biomarkers and exploiting exosomes for therapy. In this paper, we sum up our previous findings to utilize exosomes as biomarkers for early detection, diagnosis and therapy selection of prostate and thyroid cancer and present our results on exosomes in colon cancer. Some of plasma exosomal miRNAs showed their potential as diagnostic markers for colon cancer. All together, the data suggested the potentials of circulating exosomal miRNAs as liquid biopsy markers for cancer. Here we also present the possibilities of delivering therapeutic molecules by exosomes. Previously, we had demonstrated the potential of exosome-mediated siRNA delivery. Here, we present the possibility of carrying the exogenous p53 protein by exosomes in vitro.

  3. Reasons for underuse of recommended therapies for colorectal and lung cancer in the Veterans Health Administration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landrum, Mary Beth; Keating, Nancy L; Lamont, Elizabeth B; Bozeman, Samuel R; McNeil, Barbara J

    2012-07-01

    Many studies have documented low rates of effective cancer therapies, particularly in older or minority populations. However, little is known about why effective therapies are underused in these populations. The authors examined medical records of 584 patients with cancer diagnosed or treated in Department of Veterans Affairs facilities to assess reasons for lack of 1) surgery for stage I/II nonsmall cell lung cancer, 2) surgery for stage I/II/III rectal cancer, 3) adjuvant radiation therapy for stage II/III rectal cancer, and 4) adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III colon cancer. They also assessed differences in reasons for underuse by patient age and race. Across the 4 guideline-recommended treatments, 92% to 99% of eligible patients were referred to the appropriate cancer specialist; however, therapy was recommended in only 74% to 92% of eligible cases. Poor health was cited in the medical record as the reason for lack of therapy in 15% to 61% of underuse cases; patient refusal explained 26% to 58% of underuse cases. African American patients were more likely to refuse surgery. Older patients were more likely to refuse treatments. Recommendation against therapy was a primary factor in underuse of effective therapies in older and sicker patients. Patients' refusal of therapy contributed to age and racial disparities in care. Improved data on the effectiveness of cancer therapies in community populations and interventions aimed at improved communication of known risks and benefits of therapy to cancer patients could be effective tools to reduce underuse and lingering disparities in care. Copyright © 2011 American Cancer Society.

  4. Extinction models for cancer stem cell therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sehl, Mary; Zhou, Hua; Sinsheimer, Janet S.; Lange, Kenneth L.

    2012-01-01

    Cells with stem cell-like properties are now viewed as initiating and sustaining many cancers. This suggests that cancer can be cured by driving these cancer stem cells to extinction. The problem with this strategy is that ordinary stem cells are apt to be killed in the process. This paper sets bounds on the killing differential (difference between death rates of cancer stem cells and normal stem cells) that must exist for the survival of an adequate number of normal stem cells. Our main tools are birth–death Markov chains in continuous time. In this framework, we investigate the extinction times of cancer stem cells and normal stem cells. Application of extreme value theory from mathematical statistics yields an accurate asymptotic distribution and corresponding moments for both extinction times. We compare these distributions for the two cell populations as a function of the killing rates. Perhaps a more telling comparison involves the number of normal stem cells NH at the extinction time of the cancer stem cells. Conditioning on the asymptotic time to extinction of the cancer stem cells allows us to calculate the asymptotic mean and variance of NH. The full distribution of NH can be retrieved by the finite Fourier transform and, in some parameter regimes, by an eigenfunction expansion. Finally, we discuss the impact of quiescence (the resting state) on stem cell dynamics. Quiescence can act as a sanctuary for cancer stem cells and imperils the proposed therapy. We approach the complication of quiescence via multitype branching process models and stochastic simulation. Improvements to the τ-leaping method of stochastic simulation make it a versatile tool in this context. We conclude that the proposed therapy must target quiescent cancer stem cells as well as actively dividing cancer stem cells. The current cancer models demonstrate the virtue of attacking the same quantitative questions from a variety of modeling, mathematical, and computational perspectives

  5. Endocrine therapy for recurrence after definitive radiotherapy in patients with prostate cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Furuya, Yuzo; Akakura, Koichiro; Ichikawa, Tomohiko; Igarashi, Tatsuo; Ito, Haruo; Tanaka, Masashi; Murakami, Shino

    2001-01-01

    Long-term results were analyzed to evaluate the role of endocrine therapy in the management of local and distant recurrence of prostate cancer following external radiation therapy. Between 1976 and 1994, 92 patients with untreated prostate cancer underwent external beam radiation therapy alone. Endocrine therapy had been started when relapse was evident. Failure was seen in 35 of 92 patients: 10 local, 19 distant and six biochemical failures. Endocrine treatment was performed in 28 patients with nine local and 19 distant failures. The cancer-specific survival rate from the endocrine treatment was 54.5% at 5 years. Prostate-specific antigen level in 20 of 20 patients (100%) decreased to below the normal limit 3 months after the start of endocrine therapy. In univariate analysis, T classification was the most significant variable for cancer-specific survival from the initial treatment. A favorable outcome was achieved by endocrine therapy in patients who had relapsed after external beam radiation monotherapy. Even the recurrent tumor had a sensitivity to androgen. Patients with locally advanced disease (T2b and T3) had poorer prognosis than those with minimally extended disease (T1b and T2a). (author)

  6. Liposomal cancer therapy: exploiting tumor characteristics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kaasgaard, Thomas; Andresen, Thomas Lars

    2010-01-01

    an overview of current strategies for improving the different stages of liposomal cancer therapy, which involve transporting drug-loaded liposomes through the bloodstream, increasing tumor accumulation, and improving drug release and cancer cell uptake after accumulation at the tumor target site. What...... the reader will gain: The review focuses on strategies that exploit characteristic features of solid tumors, such as abnormal vasculature, overexpression of receptors and enzymes, as well as acidic and thiolytic characteristics of the tumor microenvironment. Take home message: It is concluded that the design...

  7. Endocrine aspects of cancer gene therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barzon, Luisa; Boscaro, Marco; Palù, Giorgio

    2004-02-01

    The field of cancer gene therapy is in continuous expansion, and technology is quickly moving ahead as far as gene targeting and regulation of gene expression are concerned. This review focuses on the endocrine aspects of gene therapy, including the possibility to exploit hormone and hormone receptor functions for regulating therapeutic gene expression, the use of endocrine-specific genes as new therapeutic tools, the effects of viral vector delivery and transgene expression on the endocrine system, and the endocrine response to viral vector delivery. Present ethical concerns of gene therapy and the risk of germ cell transduction are also discussed, along with potential lines of innovation to improve cell and gene targeting.

  8. Validation of an educative manual for patients with head and neck cancer submitted to radiation therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Flávia Oliveira de Almeida Marques da Cruz

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Objective: develop the content and face validation of an educative manual for patients with head and neck cancer submitted to radiation therapy. Method: descriptive methodological research. The Theory of Psychometrics was used for the validation process, developed by 15 experts in the theme area of the educative manual and by two language and publicity professionals. A minimum agreement level of 80% was considered to guarantee the validity of the material. Results: the items addressed in the assessment tool of the educative manual were divided in three blocks: objectives, structure and format, and relevance. Only one item, related to the sociocultural level of the target public, obtained an agreement rate <80%, and was reformulated based on the participants' suggestions. All other items were considered appropriate and/or complete appropriate in the three blocks proposed: objectives - 92.38%, structure and form - 89.74%, and relevance - 94.44%. Conclusion: the face and content validation of the educative manual proposed were attended to. This can contribute to the understanding of the therapeutic process the head and neck cancer patient is submitted to during the radiation therapy, besides supporting clinical practice through the nursing consultation.

  9. Breast Cancer, Aromatase Inhibitor Therapy, and Sexual Functioning: A Pilot Study of the Effects of Vaginal Testosterone Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melissa Dahir, DNP, IF

    2014-04-01

    Conclusions: The use of a compounded testosterone vaginal cream applied daily for 4 weeks improves reported sexual health quality of life in women with breast cancer taking AIs. Dahir M and Travers‐Gustafson D. Breast cancer, aromatase inhibitor therapy, and sexual functioning: A pilot study of the effects of vaginal testosterone therapy. Sex Med 2014;2:8–15.

  10. Metastasis Targeted Therapies in Renal Cell Cancer

    OpenAIRE

    K. Fehmi Narter; Bora Özveren

    2018-01-01

    Metastatic renal cell cancer is a malignant disease and its treatment has been not been described clearly yet. These patients are generally symptomatic and resistant to current treatment modalities. Radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and hormonal therapy are not curative in many of these patients. A multimodal approach consisting of cytoreductive nephrectomy, systemic therapy (immunotherapy or targeted molecules), and metastasectomy has been shown to be hopeful in prolonging the survival and improvi...

  11. Cancer gene therapy targeting angiogenesis: An updated Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Ching-Chiu; Shen, Zan; Kung, Hsiang-Fu; Lin, Marie CM

    2006-01-01

    Since the relationship between angiogenesis and tumor growth was established by Folkman in 1971, scientists have made efforts exploring the possibilities in treating cancer by targeting angiogenesis. Inhibition of angiogenesis growth factors and administration of angiogenesis inhibitors are the basics of anti-angiogenesis therapy. Transfer of anti-angiogenesis genes has received attention recently not only because of the advancement of recombinant vectors, but also because of the localized and sustained expression of therapeutic gene product inside the tumor after gene transfer. This review provides the up-to-date information about the strategies and the vectors studied in the field of anti-angiogenesis cancer gene therapy. PMID:17109514

  12. Cutaneous complication after electron beam therapy in breast cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M Jalilian

    2005-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and the second cause of death among them. There are several treatment methods for breast cancer, one of which is radiation therapy. There are two important methods of radiation therapy: tangential field and single oppositional field. Main goal of this study is evaluation of factors that have a role in producing acute side effects such as skin burning in breast cancer patients treated by electron beam,in order to decrease these side effects. Methods: From 1/2003 through 7/2004, 200 consecutive patients were evaluated during 18 months in seid-al-shohad hospital, whose mean age was 49 years old. In this study a questionnaire was used including some questions about personal profile such as patient's name, address, registration number, age and some other factors. All patients who were candidated to enter in this investigation filled out the questionnaire at the end of radiation therapy. The patients were examined and their skin burning grades were evaluated by RTOG scale. Data were analyzed by chi-square test using SPSS 11 software. Results: None of patients showed grades O or 4 of burning. 31.5 % of Patients showed grade 1, 64.5 % showed grade 2, 4 % showed grade 3 of burning. There was statistically significant correlation between posterior axillary field and skin burning and there wasnot any meaning between the other factors. Conclusion: It is necessary to pay more attention to posterior axillary field planning including field size, location, photon energy, depth and dose of treatment. Keywords: breast cancer, electron beam radiation therapy, skin burning

  13. Percutaneous radiation therapy for localized and generalized stages of prostatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mueller, R.P.; Schnepper, E.; Castrup, W.

    1981-01-01

    Eighty-three patients with prostatic cancer, who underwent megavoltage therapy of the carcinoma or of its metastases, are reported. The majority of the patients had advanced disease (Stage C or D according to Flocks) when they came to be treated, and thus the general prognosis was bad. Radiation therapy, however, represents on the whole an important constituent of therapy in prostatic cancer, with regard to the practicability as well as to palliative treatment of metastases to the skeleton. (orig.) [de

  14. Hormone Therapy in Breast Cancer Survivors and Those at High Risk for Breast Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reid, Robert L

    2018-05-10

    Women and health care providers are often fearful of using hormone therapy to deal with distressing menopausal symptoms in circumstances where there is a perceived or real increased risk of breast cancer. This paper examines the evidence for and against hormone therapy use in 3 common clinical situations: the woman with a positive family history in a first-degree relative, the woman who has undergone risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy due to a known genetic mutation, and the woman in whom treatment of breast cancer has induced premature menopause.

  15. Hormone therapy in metastatic prostate cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jebelameli P

    1997-09-01

    Full Text Available Only orchiectomy is still commonly used today either as a single therapy or in combination regimens. Hypophysectomy & adrenalectomy showed such devastating effects on the endocrine equilibrium as to be inconsistent with an acceptable quality of life or even with survival. Chemical adrenalectomy was also tried with drugs (eg. aminoglutethmide, spironolactone leading to consequences superimposable to those of surgical adrenalectomy. Along with orchiectomy, three groups of substances are commonly used today for the hormonal therapy of prostate cancer: estrogens, LHRH agonists & anti androgens. Bilateral orchiectomy removes 90-95% of circulating testosterone. Clinical studies document 60-80% of positive responders to castration, on continued evaluation, relapse occurs usually within 6-24 months in responders, with a death rate of 50% within 6 months. The androgenic activity still remaining after castration may explain the partial & progressively decreasing effectiveness of this & other testosterone reducing therapies. Antiandrogens define substances that act directly at the target site, where interacting with steroid hormone receptors, they impede the binding of androgens. A trend towards the combination of testosterone-reducing & androgen-blocking treatment is developing in modern therapy of prostate cancer. This is due to the complementary characteristics of the two different pharmacological mechanisms that are involved. In this study castration+antiandrogen is compared to castration alone. The results demonstrate a significantly greater percentage of positive objective & subjective responses with antiandrogen than with placebo. In addition survival time was increased in patients treated with castration+antiandrogen than castration+placebo.

  16. Managing post-therapy fatigue for cancer survivors using energy conservation training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuen, Hon Keung; Mitcham, Maralynne; Morgan, Larissa

    2006-01-01

    This pilot study evaluated the effectiveness of energy conservation training to help post-therapy cancer survivors manage their fatigue. Twelve post-therapy cancer survivors were randomly assigned to an energy conservation training or usual care control (6 in each group). Participants in the intervention group received 1 to 2 hours of individual, face-to-face energy conservation training from an occupational therapist followed by once-a-week telephone monitoring sessions in the subsequent three weeks. Participants in the control group received standard care from their oncologist. Analysis of pre- and post-training data from the Piper Fatigue Scale (PFS) revealed significant reduction only in the sensory subscale of the PFS (Z = 2.21; p = 0.027) for the intervention group; but no significant reduction in the four subscale or total scores of the PFS for the control group. Findings demonstrate partial support for the effectiveness of energy conservation training in helping post-therapy cancer survivors manage their fatigue. Energy conservation training seems to be a viable strategy for managing cancer-related fatigue, though its efficacy is modest. Incorporating specific energy restoration strategies such as relaxation and meditation for future research may help advance the growing body of knowledge in symptom management for post-therapy cancer survivors.

  17. Turn a diarrhoea toxin into a receptor-mediated therapy for a plethora of CLDN-4-overexpressing cancers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yao, Qin; Cao, Siyu; Li, Chun; Mengesha, Asferd; Low, Pauline; Kong, Beihua; Dai, Shuzhen; Wei, Mingqian

    2010-01-01

    Research highlights: → CLDN-4 is the high-affinity receptor for Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin (CPE). → The targeted toxin C-CPE-ETA' utilises the C-terminal fragment of CPE for binding. → C-CPE-ETA' rapidly binds to and internalises into CLDN-4 positive cancer cells. → C-CPE-ETA' has anti-cancer ability in a range of CLDN-4 positive cancers. -- Abstract: Molecular targeted therapy (MTT) represents the new generation of anti-cancer arsenals. In this study, we report an alternative approach using a hybrid toxin that utilises the high-affinity of receptor-binding fragment of Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin (CPE). CPE naturally binds to CLDN-4 through the C-terminal 30 amino acid. However, recent studies have shown that CLDN-4 is also overexpressed on a range of cancer cells. We thus constructed a cDNA comprising C-CPE and a well characterised toxic domain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A (C-CPE-ETA'). The recombinant C-CPE-ETA' fusion protein was shown to retain the specificity of binding to CLDN-4 and initiating rapid penetration into cytosol in five different CLDN-4 positive cancer cells (Breast-MCF7, Skin-A431, Colon-SW480, Prostate-PC3 and DU145) but not to CLDN-4 negative cells (Hela, HUVEC). C-CPE-ETA' was strongly cytotoxic towards CLDN-4 positive cancer cell, as opposed to cells lacking CLDN-4 expression. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the recombinant fusion protein had significant anti-cancer ability in CLDN-4 positive cancer models in vivo. Subcutaneously implanted MCF7 and SW480 xenograft tumours were significantly decreased or abolished after three repeated injection of the hybrid toxin. Taken together, our results convincingly show that the hybrid toxin targets CLDN-4 positive cancer through receptor-binding, and causes significant tumour cell apoptosis, suggesting its potential as an alternative molecular targeted therapy against a plethora of CLDN-4 positive cancers.

  18. Use of black vulture (Coragyps atratus in complementary and alternative therapies for cancer in Colombia: A qualitative study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sánchez-Pedraza Ricardo

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Although Coragyps atratus has been used as a traditional therapy for patients with cancer, the scientific literature does not contain enough information on how this therapy is used or the mechanisms that explain this therapeutic practice. Objectives To understand the methods of use and the reasons given by patients and caregivers for the use of Coragyps atratus in cancer treatment. Methods This study used a qualitative design based on twenty in-depth interviews of patients with cancer or caregivers of patients with the disease. The analysis of the text was based on an inductive thematic approach. Results Resistance to disease and immune enhancement are properties attributed to Coragyps atratus when used for cancer treatment. The most recommended method of use is fresh blood ingestion, and the associated mechanism of action is transfer of immune factors to the individual who consumes it. Conclusions Use of Coragyps atratus as a treatment for cancer is a popular alternative therapy in Colombia. More studies are needed to understand the clinical effects of this intervention in cancer patients. Spanish abstract Introducción Aunque Coragyps atratus se usa tradicionalmente como terapia para pacientes con cáncer, no existe suficiente información en la literatura científica sobre su forma de utilización ni sobre los mecanismos explicativos que subyacen a esta práctica terapéutica. Objetivos Conocer métodos de utilización y mecanismos explicativos dados por los pacientes y cuidadores de pacientes sobre el uso de Coragyps atratus en el tratamiento del cáncer. Materiales y métodos Diseño cualitativo basado en veinte entrevistas en profundidad de pacientes con cáncer o cuidadores de pacientes con esta enfermedad. Análisis de texto basado en enfoque temático inductivo. Resultados Al Coragyps atratus se le atribuyen propiedades de resistencia y fortalecimiento del sistema inmune de personas enfermas de cáncer. La forma de

  19. CORRECTION OF MALNUTRITION IN CANCER P ATIENTS WITH ORAL SUPPLEMENTS (SIPING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. M. Khomyakov

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract:Malnutrition occurs in 40 to 80 percent of cancer patients. Malnutrition in cancer patients is associated with poorer overall survival, reduced benefit from surgical and medical therapies, increased therapy-related toxicity, poorer quality of life. Early diagnostics of malnutrition and purpose of nutritional therapy is one of important components of supportive care at all steps of anticancer treatment. The modern tools for evaluation of the nutritional status and the principles of nutritional support at cancer patients, including oral nutritional supplements (siping are presented in the article.

  20. Molecular MR imaging of cancer gene therapy. Ferritin transgene reporter takes the stage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hasegawa, Sumitaka; Furukawa, Takako; Saga, Tsuneo

    2010-01-01

    Molecular imaging using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has been actively investigated and made rapid progress in the past decade. Applied to cancer gene therapy, the technique's high spatial resolution allows evaluation of gene delivery into target tissues. Because noninvasive monitoring of the duration, location, and magnitude of transgene expression in tumor tissues or cells provides useful information for assessing therapeutic efficacy and optimizing protocols, molecular imaging is expected to become a critical step in the success of cancer gene therapy in the near future. We present a brief overview of the current status of molecular MR imaging, especially in vivo reporter gene imaging using ferritin and other reporters, discuss its application to cancer gene therapy, and present our research of MR imaging detection of electroporation-mediated cancer gene therapy using the ferritin reporter gene. (author)

  1. Randomized Trial of Asprin as Adjuvant Therapy for Node-Positive Breast Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-10-01

    AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-15-1-0268 TITLE: Randomized Trial of Asprin as Adjuvant Therapy for Node-Positive Breast Cancer PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR...Eric Winer CONTRACTING ORGANIZATION: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston, MA 02215 REPORT DATE: OCTOBER 2017 TYPE OF REPORT: ANNUAL PREPARED FOR...CONTRACT NUMBER Randomized Trial of Asprin as Adjuvant Therapy for Node- Positive Breast Cancer 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR

  2. Appendicitis complicated by appendiceal metastasis via peritoneal dissemination from lung cancer

    OpenAIRE

    Shiota, Naoki; Furonaka, Makoto; Kikutani, Kazuya; Haji, Keiko; Fujisaki, Seiji; Nishida, Toshihiro

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Peritoneal disseminations from lung cancer are difficult to detect during the patient's clinical course. Therefore, complications of this condition are unclear. We report a case in which peritoneal dissemination from lung cancer complicated appendicitis. A 74?year?old man with lung cancer who was receiving maintenance therapy presented at our hospital because of abdominal pain. It was the seventh day after the 14th cycle of maintenance therapy with bevacizumab. He was diagnosed with ...

  3. Ovarian cancer and the immune system - The role of targeted therapies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turner, Taylor B; Buchsbaum, Donald J; Straughn, J Michael; Randall, Troy D; Arend, Rebecca C

    2016-08-01

    The majority of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer are diagnosed with advanced disease. While many of these patients will respond initially to chemotherapy, the majority will relapse and die of their disease. Targeted therapies that block or activate specific intracellular signaling pathways have been disappointing. In the past 15years, the role of the immune system in ovarian cancer has been investigated. Patients with a more robust immune response, as documented by the presence of lymphocytes infiltrating within their tumor, have increased survival and better response to chemotherapy. In addition, a strong immunosuppressive environment often accompanies ovarian cancer. Recent research has identified potential therapies that leverage the immune system to identify and destroy tumor cells that previously evaded immunosurveillance mechanisms. In this review, we discuss the role of the immune system in ovarian cancer and focus on specific pathways and molecules that show a potential for targeted therapy. We also review the ongoing clinical trials using targeted immunotherapy in ovarian cancer. The role of targeted immunotherapy in patients with ovarian cancer represents a field of growing research and clinical importance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Effect of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT Intervention on Serum Cortisol Level and Pain Score of Patients with Advanced-Stage Cervical Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    . Soetrisno

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Cervical cancer is the most frequent cause of death related gynecology malignancy in Indonesia. Recent management of advanced-stage cervical cancer has still not been able to improve the prognosis. Chemotherapy and radiation intervention, as well as therapy may resulting pain and cause psychological stress for some patient, furthermore it could effect on the quality of life. Cortisol is a hormone of adrenal cortex, it secretes due to increased production of ACTH by anterior pituitary which is associated with stressful condition. To analyze the effect of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT intervention on serum cortisol levels and pain score of patients with advanced-stage cervical cancer. This experimental study was a double blind non-randomized clinical trial post-test group design. It was using two groups in this study, each group consisting of 15 subjects, the treatment group were given CBT and standard therapy, while the control group were only given a standard therapy. The study was conducted in the gynecology oncology ward and the gynecology oncology clinic of Dr. Moewardi Hospital Surakarta and Prodia Laboratory, from January - March 2015. Cortisol level of the treatment group was 1.03 ± 0.71 mg / dL, and the control group was 11.41 ± 7.34 mg / dL. Pain score in the treatment group was 4.46 ± 0.83, and the control group was 7.34 ± 0.74. There are significant differences in serum cortisol level decrease (p = 0.00 and pain score (p = 0.00 between the CBT intervention with standard therapy group compared and the standard therapy only group

  5. A clinical study on combined modality therapy, radio-hyperthermo-chemotherapy, for pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamamoto, Yoshikazu

    1989-01-01

    A new multimodality therapy, radio-hyperthermo-chemotherapy, has been performed in a total of 31 pancreatic cancer patients with the purpose of improving treatment outcome. Combination of hyperthermia and chemotherapy was given as a pre-irradiation therapy in 7 resectable cancer patients. Among 24 unresectable cancer patients, 17 had irradiation in combination with hyperthermia and chemotherpay. Although both degeneration and necrosis of cancer cells were observed in all resectable cases at biopsy, these were not predictive of a better outcome. Of evaluable 17 patients with unresectable cancer, tumor regression was observed in 5 (29.4%). Although 22 patients had pain before therapy, 8 and 5 patients had remarkable and moderate pain relief, respectively, with therapy. Performance status was improved in 7 patients (29.2%). Survival rate at 12 months was still low (8.3%). However, the radio-hyperthermo-chemotherapy appears to help in increasing the quality of life in view of pain relief. (N.K.)

  6. Starting Hormone Therapy at Menopause Increases Breast Cancer Risk

    Science.gov (United States)

    According to a January 28, 2011 article in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, women who start taking menopausal hormone therapy around the time of menopause have a higher risk of breast cancer than women who begin taking hormones a few years later.

  7. Prevalence of complementary and alternative therapy use by cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, Grace V; Aherne, Noel J; Horsley, Patrick J; Benjamin, Linus C; McLachlan, Craig S; McKay, Michael J; Shakespeare, Thomas P

    2014-12-01

    The use of complementary and alternative therapies (CAT) in oncology patients is increasing in incidence, with calls to routinely screen for their use. We introduced a screening tool as part of clinical care to identify CAT use. We evaluated all patients who attended the radiation oncology outpatient clinic between December 2011 and July 2012, who had filled out the CAT screening tool, and evaluated types of CAT use, reasons for use and predictors of CAT usage. A total of 639 patients completed the CAT screening tool, which was 75% of eligible patients. There were 464 (72.6%) men and 175 (27.4%) women, with a mean age of 69.9 years (range 27-94 years). Prostate cancer was the predominant diagnosis (53.1%), followed by breast cancer (17.5%) and skin cancer (14.7%). Of these, 530 patients (82.9%) had used at least one therapy. Of the 530 patients using CAT, the most quoted reasons for use were to improve quality of life (42.6%), to boost the immune system and general health (33.6%), to increase energy levels (32.6%) and to live longer (28.9%). Of the 530 users, only 112 patients (21.1%) took CAT to help cure their cancer. Women were significantly more likely to use CAT, as were patients with breast cancer. The use of CAT in patients with cancer is prevalent and more frequent in our population than in other published studies. Few patients use CAT to improve their cancer cure, but rather use CAT for other reasons. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  8. Specifically targeted gene therapy for small-cell lung cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, C.L.; Zandi, R.; Gjetting, T.

    2009-01-01

    Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a highly malignant disease with poor prognosis. Hence, there is great demand for new therapies that can replace or supplement the current available treatment regimes. Gene therapy constitutes a promising strategy and relies on the principle of introducing exogenous...

  9. Neoadjuvant Therapy in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer: A Disappointing Therapeutic Approach?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zimmermann, Carolin; Folprecht, Gunnar; Zips, Daniel; Pilarsky, Christian; Saeger, Hans Detlev; Grutzmann, Robert

    2011-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is a devastating disease. It is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in Germany. The incidence in 2003/2004 was 16 cases per 100.000 inhabitants. Of all carcinomas, pancreatic cancer has the highest mortality rate, with one- and five-year survival rates of 25% and less than 5%, respectively, regardless of the stage at diagnosis. These low survival rates demonstrate the poor prognosis of this carcinoma. Previous therapeutic approaches including surgical resection combined with adjuvant therapy or palliative chemoradiation have not achieved satisfactory results with respect to overall survival. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate new therapeutic approaches. Neoadjuvant therapy is an interesting therapeutic option for patients with pancreatic cancer. For selected patients with borderline or unresectable disease, neoadjuvant therapy offers the potential for tumor downstaging, increasing the probability of a margin-negative resection and decreasing the occurrence of lymph node metastasis. Currently, there is no universally accepted approach for treating patients with pancreatic cancer in the neoadjuvant setting. In this review, the most common neoadjuvant strategies will be described, compared and discussed

  10. Aging, obesity, and post-therapy cognitive recovery in breast cancer survivors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Zhezhou; Zheng, Ying; Bao, Pingping; Cai, Hui; Hong, Zhen; Ding, Ding; Jackson, James; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Dai, Qi

    2017-02-14

    Therapy-induced cognitive impairment is prevalent and long-lasting in cancer survivors, but factors affecting post-therapy cognitive recovery are unclear. We conducted this study to evaluate the associations of age, body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and physical activity (PA) with post-therapy cognitive changes in a population-based breast cancer (BC) survivor cohort. We collected information on PA, weight, height, waist and hip circumferences of 1286 BC survivors aged 20-75. We assessed their cognitive functions, including immediate memory, delayed memory, verbal fluency, and attention, at 18 and 36 months after cancer diagnosis. Linear regression models were used to examine the associations of age, BMI, WHR and PA with mean changes in cognitive scores from 18- to 36-month follow-up interview. We found that the post-therapy cognitive changes differed by age and obesity status. Verbal fluency and attention improved in younger patients aged therapy cognitive change. Due to the novelty of our findings and the limitations of our study, further research, including intervention trials, is warranted to confirm the causal relationship between obesity and cognitive impairments.

  11. Salvage radiation therapy for residual superficial esophageal cancer after endoscopic mucosal resection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nemoto, Kenji; Takai, Kenji; Ogawa, Yoshihiro; Sakayauchi, Toru; Sugawara, Toshiyuki; Jingu, Ken-ichi; Wada, Hitoshi; Takai, Yoshihiro; Yamada, Shogo

    2005-01-01

    Purpose: To analyze the outcomes of radiation therapy for patients with residual superficial esophageal cancer (rSEC) after endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR). Methods and Materials: From May 1996 to October 2002, a total of 30 rSEC patients without lymph node metastasis received radiation therapy at Tohoku University Hospital and associated hospitals. The time interval from EMR to start of radiation therapy ranged from 9 to 73 days (median interval, 40 days). Radiation doses ranged from 60 Gy to 70 Gy (mean dose, 66 Gy). Chemotherapy was used in 9 of 30 patients (30%). Results: The 2-year, 3-year, and 5-year overall survival rates and cause-specific survival rates were 91%, 82%, and 51%, respectively, and 95%, 85%, and 73%, respectively. The 2-year, 3-year, and 5-year local control rates for mucosal cancer were 91%, 91%, and 91%, respectively, and those for submucosal cancer were 89%, 89%, and 47%, respectively. These differences in survival rates for patients with two types of cancer were not statistically significant. Local recurrence and lymph node recurrence were more frequent in patients with submucosal cancer than in patients with mucosal cancer (p = 0.38 and p 0.08, respectively). Esophageal stenosis that required balloon dilatation developed in 3 of the 30 patients, and radiation pneumonitis that required steroid therapy developed in 1 patient. Conclusions: Radiation therapy is useful for preventing local recurrence after incomplete EMR

  12. Iron oxide and gold nanoparticles in cancer therapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gotman, Irena, E-mail: gotman@technion.ac.il; Gutmanas, Elazar Y., E-mail: gutmanas@technion.ac.il [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 32000 Israel (Israel); Tomsk Polytechnic University, Tomsk, 634050 (Russian Federation); Psakhie, Sergey G. [Tomsk Polytechnic University, Tomsk, 634050 (Russian Federation); Institute of Strength Physics and Materials Science SB RAS, Tomsk, 634055 (Russian Federation); Lozhkomoev, Aleksandr S. [Tomsk Polytechnic University, Tomsk, 634050 (Russian Federation)

    2016-08-02

    Continuous research activities in the field of nanomedicine in the past decade have, to a great extent, been focused on nanoparticle technologies for cancer therapy. Gold and iron oxide nanoparticles (NP) are two of the most studied inorganic nanomaterials due to their unique optical and magnetic properties. Both types of NPs are emerging as promising systems for anti-tumor drug delivery and for nanoparticle-mediated thermal therapy of cancer. In thermal therapy, localized heating inside tumors or in proximity of tumor cells can be induced, for example, with Au NPs by radiofrequency ablation heating or conversion of photon energy (photothermal therapy) and in iron oxide magnetic NPs by heat generation through relaxation in an alternating magnetic field (magnetic hyperthermia). Furthermore, the superparamagnetic properties of iron oxide nanoparticles have led to their use as potent MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) contrast agents. Surface modification/coating can produce NPs with tailored and desired properties, such as enhanced blood circulation time, stability, biocompatibility and water solubility. To target nanoparticles to specific tumor cells, NPs should be conjugated with targeting moieties on the surface which bind to receptors or other molecular structures on the cell surface. The article presents several approaches to enhancing the specificity of Au and iron oxide nanoparticles for tumor tissue by appropriate surface modification/functionalization, as well as the effect of these treatments on the saturation magnetization value of iron oxide NPs. The use of other nanoparticles and nanostructures in cancer treatment is also briefly reviewed.

  13. Definitive proton beam radiation therapy for inoperable gastric cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shibuya, Susumu; Takase, Yasuhiro; Aoyagi, Hiroyuki; Orii, Kazuo; Sharma, N.; Iwasaki, Yoji; Tsujii, Hirohiko; Tsujii, Hiroshi.

    1991-01-01

    Proton beam radiation therapy using 250 MeV protons was carried out on two patients with early gastric cancer (T1, N0, M0). One patient was an 85-year-old man with early gastric cancer of type IIa + IIc. The other one was a 70-year-old man with early gastric cancer of type IIc. In both cases histological examination of biopsy specimens showed differential adenocarcinoma; distant metastasis was not found by other examinations. Both patients were considered inoperable due to their poor cardiac and/or respiratory functions. Therefore, it was decided to treat them by definitive proton irradiation, delivering total doses of 86 Gy and 83 Gy, respectively. In both patients, skin erythema that did not require any special treatment was found in the irradiation field. Hematobiological examinations did not show any abnormality. Although endoscopic examination at two years after irradiation in the former case and at seven months in the latter case showed persistent gastric ulcer at the site of the cancerous lesions, cancer cells were not found histologically. Therefore, we concluded that proton irradiation therapy was useful for inoperable early gastric cancers. (author)

  14. Behaviors of providers of traditional korean medicine therapy and complementary and alternative medicine therapy for the treatment of cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Jun-Sang; Kim, Chun-Bae; Kim, Ki-Kyong; Lee, Ji-Eun; Kim, Min-Young

    2015-03-01

    In Korea, cancer is one of the most important causes of death. Cancer patients have sought alternative methods, like complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) together with Western medicine, to treat cancer. Also, there are many kinds of providers of CAM therapy, including providers of Korean oriental medicine therapy. The purpose of this study is to identify the behaviors of Korean oriental medicine therapy and CAM therapy providers who treat cancer patients and to provide background knowledge for establishing a new policy with the management and quality control of CAM. Structured and well organized questionnaires were made, and 350 persons were surveyed concerning the providers of CAM or Korean oriental medicine. The questionnaires were collected and analyzed. The questionnaires (182) were collected. The questionnaires identified a total of 73 known providers, such as medicinal professionals or other providers of CAM suppliers, 35.6% of whom had had experience with treating cancer patients (52.6% vs. 29.6%). The treatment methods were a little different: alternative therapy and nutritional therapy being preferred by medicinal professionals and mind body modulation therapy and alternative therapy being preferred by other CAM providers. Four patients (7.4%) experienced side effects, and 6 patients (12.5%) experienced legal problems. As the method for managing the therapy, CAM providers, medicinal professionals, and other CAM providers had different viewpoints. For example, some CAM providers stated that both legislation and an official education on CAM or a national examination were needed as a first step to establish the provider's qualifications and that as a second step, a license test was needed for quality control. To the contrary, medicinal professionals stated that a license test was needed before legislation. Adequate management and quality control of CAM providers is thought to involve both education and legislation.

  15. Recent insights in nanotechnology-based drugs and formulations designed for effective anti-cancer therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piktel, Ewelina; Niemirowicz, Katarzyna; Wątek, Marzena; Wollny, Tomasz; Deptuła, Piotr; Bucki, Robert

    2016-05-26

    The rapid development of nanotechnology provides alternative approaches to overcome several limitations of conventional anti-cancer therapy. Drug targeting using functionalized nanoparticles to advance their transport to the dedicated site, became a new standard in novel anti-cancer methods. In effect, the employment of nanoparticles during design of antineoplastic drugs helps to improve pharmacokinetic properties, with subsequent development of high specific, non-toxic and biocompatible anti-cancer agents. However, the physicochemical and biological diversity of nanomaterials and a broad spectrum of unique features influencing their biological action requires continuous research to assess their activity. Among numerous nanosystems designed to eradicate cancer cells, only a limited number of them entered the clinical trials. It is anticipated that progress in development of nanotechnology-based anti-cancer materials will provide modern, individualized anti-cancer therapies assuring decrease in morbidity and mortality from cancer diseases. In this review we discussed the implication of nanomaterials in design of new drugs for effective antineoplastic therapy and describe a variety of mechanisms and challenges for selective tumor targeting. We emphasized the recent advantages in the field of nanotechnology-based strategies to fight cancer and discussed their part in effective anti-cancer therapy and successful drug delivery.

  16. Gamma-ray detector guidance of breast cancer therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ravi, Ananth

    2009-12-01

    Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women. Over 75% of breast cancer patients are eligible for breast conserving therapy. Breast conserving therapy involves a lumpectomy to excise the gross tumour, followed by adjuvant radiation therapy to eradicate residual microscopic disease. Recent advances in the understanding of breast cancer biology and recurrence have presented the opportunity to improve breast conserving therapy techniques. This thesis has explored the potential of gamma-ray detecting technology to improve guidance of both surgical and adjuvant radiation therapy aspects of breast conserving therapy. The task of accurately excising the gross tumour during breast conserving surgery (BCS) is challenging, due to the limited guidance currently available to surgeons. Radioimmuno guided surgery (RIGS) has been investigated to determine its potential to delineate the gross tumour intraoperatively. The effects of varying a set of user controllable parameters on the ability of RIGS to detect and delineate model breast tumours was determined. The parameters studied were: Radioisotope, blood activity concentration, collimator height and energy threshold. The most sensitive combination of parameters was determined to be an 111Indium labelled radiopharmaceutical with a gamma-ray detecting probe collimated to a height of 5 mm and an energy threshold at the Compton backscatter peak. Using these parameters it was found that, for the breast tumour model used, the minimum tumour-to-background ratio required to delineate the tumour edge accurately was 5.2+/-0.4 at a blood activity concentration of 5 kBq/ml. Permanent breast seed implantation (PBSI) is a form of accelerated partial breast irradiation that dramatically reduces the treatment burden of adjuvant radiation therapy on patients. Unfortunately, it is currently difficult to localize the implanted brachytherapy seeds, making it difficult to perform a correction in the event that seeds have been misplaced

  17. Clinical advances of nanocarrier-based cancer therapy and diagnostics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luque-Michel, Edurne; Imbuluzqueta, Edurne; Sebastián, Víctor; Blanco-Prieto, María J

    2017-01-01

    Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and efficient new strategies are urgently needed to combat its high mortality and morbidity statistics. Fortunately, over the years, nanotechnology has evolved as a frontrunner in the areas of imaging, diagnostics and therapy, giving the possibility of monitoring, evaluating and individualizing cancer treatments in real-time. Areas covered: Polymer-based nanocarriers have been extensively studied to maximize cancer treatment efficacy and minimize the adverse effects of standard therapeutics. Regarding diagnosis, nanomaterials like quantum dots, iron oxide nanoparticles or gold nanoparticles have been developed to provide rapid, sensitive detection of cancer and, therefore, facilitate early treatment and monitoring of the disease. Therefore, multifunctional nanosystems with both imaging and therapy functionalities bring us a step closer to delivering precision/personalized medicine in the cancer setting. Expert opinion: There are multiple barriers for these new nanosystems to enter the clinic, but it is expected that in the near future, nanocarriers, together with new 'targeted drugs', could replace our current treatments and cancer could become a nonfatal disease with good recovery rates. Joint efforts between scientists, clinicians, the pharmaceutical industry and legislative bodies are needed to bring to fruition the application of nanosystems in the clinical management of cancer.

  18. HER-2-positive metastatic breast cancer: new possibilities for therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. V. Artamonova

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This article is devoted to modern approaches in HER-2-positive metastatic breast cancer therapy. Recently treatment algorithm for this type of cancer included trastuzumab plus cytostatic in first line, continuation of trastuzumab with another chemotherapy regimen in second line, further switch to lapatinib and eventual return to trastuzumab after progression. Nowadays our options are broader owing to new anti-HER-2 agents which are pertruzumab and T-DM1. Now the most effective therapy regimen in first line is double HER-2 blockade (trastuzumab + pertuzumab in combination with docetaxel. Benefit of new agent T-DM1 versus combination of lapatinib and capecitabin is proved in patients progressed on trastuzumab and taxanes. T-DM1 also showed high efficacy as salvage therapy in intensively pretreated patients with meta- static HER-2-positive breast cancer who progressed on taxanes, trastuzumab and lapatinib.

  19. Radiotherapy-induced secondary cancer risk for breast cancer: 3D conformal therapy versus IMRT versus VMAT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Boram; Sung, Jiwon; Yoon, Myonggeun; Lee, Sunyoung

    2014-01-01

    This study evaluated the secondary cancer risk to various organs due to radiation treatment for breast cancer. Organ doses to an anthropomorphic phantom were measured using a photoluminescent dosimeter (PLD) for breast cancer treatment with 3D conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT), intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). Cancer risk based on the measured dose was calculated using the BEIR (Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation) VII models. The secondary dose per treatment dose (50.4 Gy) to various organs ranged from 0.02 to 0.36 Gy for 3D-CRT, but from 0.07 to 8.48 Gy for IMRT and VMAT, indicating that the latter methods are associated with higher secondary radiation doses than 3D-CRT. The result of the homogeneity index in the breast target shows that the dose homogeneity of 3D-CRT was worse than those of IMRT and VMAT. The organ specific lifetime attributable risks (LARs) to the thyroid, contralateral breast and ipsilateral lung per 100 000 population were 0.02, 19.71, and 0.76 respectively for 3D-CRT, much lower than the 0.11, 463.56, and 10.59 respectively for IMRT and the 0.12, 290.32, and 12.28 respectively for VMAT. The overall estimation of LAR indicated that the radiation-induced cancer risk due to breast radiation therapy was lower with 3D-CRT than with IMRT or VMAT. (paper)

  20. TRAIL, Wnt, Sonic Hedgehog, TGFβ, and miRNA Signalings Are Potential Targets for Oral Cancer Therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farooqi, Ammad Ahmad; Shu, Chih-Wen; Huang, Hurng-Wern; Wang, Hui-Ru; Chang, Yung-Ting; Fayyaz, Sundas; Yuan, Shyng-Shiou F; Tang, Jen-Yang; Chang, Hsueh-Wei

    2017-07-14

    Clinical studies and cancer cell models emphasize the importance of targeting therapies for oral cancer. The tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is highly expressed in cancer, and is a selective killing ligand for oral cancer. Signaling proteins in the wingless-type mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) integration site family (Wnt), Sonic hedgehog (SHH), and transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) pathways may regulate cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis. Accordingly, the genes encoding these signaling proteins are potential targets for oral cancer therapy. In this review, we focus on recent advances in targeting therapies for oral cancer and discuss the gene targets within TRAIL, Wnt, SHH, and TGFβ signaling for oral cancer therapies. Oncogenic microRNAs (miRNAs) and tumor suppressor miRNAs targeting the genes encoding these signaling proteins are summarized, and the interactions between Wnt, SHH, TGFβ, and miRNAs are interpreted. With suitable combination treatments, synergistic effects are expected to improve targeting therapies for oral cancer.

  1. TRAIL, Wnt, Sonic Hedgehog, TGFβ, and miRNA Signalings Are Potential Targets for Oral Cancer Therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farooqi, Ammad Ahmad; Shu, Chih-Wen; Huang, Hurng-Wern; Wang, Hui-Ru; Chang, Yung-Ting; Fayyaz, Sundas; Yuan, Shyng-Shiou F.; Tang, Jen-Yang

    2017-01-01

    Clinical studies and cancer cell models emphasize the importance of targeting therapies for oral cancer. The tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is highly expressed in cancer, and is a selective killing ligand for oral cancer. Signaling proteins in the wingless-type mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) integration site family (Wnt), Sonic hedgehog (SHH), and transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) pathways may regulate cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis. Accordingly, the genes encoding these signaling proteins are potential targets for oral cancer therapy. In this review, we focus on recent advances in targeting therapies for oral cancer and discuss the gene targets within TRAIL, Wnt, SHH, and TGFβ signaling for oral cancer therapies. Oncogenic microRNAs (miRNAs) and tumor suppressor miRNAs targeting the genes encoding these signaling proteins are summarized, and the interactions between Wnt, SHH, TGFβ, and miRNAs are interpreted. With suitable combination treatments, synergistic effects are expected to improve targeting therapies for oral cancer. PMID:28708091

  2. Breast-conserving therapy in breast cancer patients - a 12-year ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    conserving therapy (BCT). However, local recurrence of cancer ... Adjuvant therapy (hormones, chemotherapy) was undertaken, and the incidence and times of local recurrence and distant metastases were recorded. Results: Ninety-four per cent of ...

  3. Radiation therapy as definitive treatment of breast cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Findlay, P.A.

    1988-01-01

    Like surgery, radiation therapy is a local treatment modality, and also like surgery, the objective of therapy is to eradicate all cancer in the treated area, ensuring no recurrence. In addition, this objective should be achieved with maintenance of a cosmetically intact breast. If these two goals can be attained simultaneously, the ultimate result should be a substantial reduction in the physical and psychologic morbidity of treatment and an improvement in the patients's quality of life. It is to be hoped that by reducing women's fear of potentially disfiguring surgery, they will be encouraged to seek medical attention for breast cancer at an earlier, and hence potentially more curable, stage of the disease

  4. Molecular insights of Gas6/TAM in cancer development and therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Guiling; Ma, Zhiqiang; Hu, Wei; Wang, Dongjin; Gong, Bing; Fan, Chongxi; Jiang, Shuai; Li, Tian; Gao, Jianyuan; Yang, Yang

    2017-03-23

    Since growth arrest-specific gene 6 (Gas6) was discovered in 1988, numerous studies have highlighted the role of the Gas6 protein and its receptors Tyro3, Axl and Mer (collectively referred to as TAM), in proliferation, apoptosis, efferocytosis, leukocyte migration, sequestration and platelet aggregation. Gas6 has a critical role in the development of multiple types of cancers, including pancreatic, prostate, oral, ovarian and renal cancers. Acute myelocytic leukaemia (AML) is a Gas6-dependent cancer, and Gas6 expression predicts poor prognosis in AML. Interestingly, Gas6 also has a role in establishing tumour dormancy in the bone marrow microenvironment and in suppressing intestinal tumorigenesis. Numerous studies regarding cancer therapy have targeted Gas6 and TAM receptors with good results. However, some findings have suggested that Gas6 is associated with the development of resistance to cancer therapies. Concerning these significant effects of Gas6 in numerous cancers, we discuss the roles of Gas6 in cancer development in this review. First, we introduce basic knowledge on Gas6 and TAM receptors. Next, we describe and discuss the involvement of Gas6 and TAM receptors in cancers from different organ systems. Finally, we highlight the progress in therapies targeting Gas6 and TAM receptors. This review presents the significant roles of Gas6 in cancers from different systems and may contribute to the continued promotion of Gas6 as a therapeutic target.

  5. Targeting the NFκB signaling pathways for breast cancer prevention and therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Wei; Nag, Subhasree A; Zhang, Ruiwen

    2015-01-01

    The activation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NFκB), a proinflammatory transcription factor, is a commonly observed phenomenon in breast cancer. It facilitates the development of a hormone-independent, invasive, high-grade, and late-stage tumor phenotype. Moreover, the commonly used cancer chemotherapy and radiotherapy approaches activate NFκB, leading to the development of invasive breast cancers that show resistance to chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and endocrine therapy. Inhibition of NFκB results in an increase in the sensitivity of cancer cells to the apoptotic effects of chemotherapeutic agents and radiation and restoring hormone sensitivity, which is correlated with increased disease-free survival in patients with breast cancer. In this review article, we focus on the role of the NFκB signaling pathways in the development and progression of breast cancer and the validity of NFκB as a potential target for breast cancer prevention and therapy. We also discuss the recent findings that NFκB may have tumor suppressing activity in certain cancer types. Finally, this review also covers the state-of-the-art development of NFκB inhibitors for cancer therapy and prevention, the challenges in targeting validation, and pharmacology and toxicology evaluations of these agents from the bench to the bedside.

  6. Randomized Evaluation of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Graded Exercise Therapy for Post-Cancer Fatigue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sandler, Carolina X; Goldstein, David; Horsfield, Sarah; Bennett, Barbara K; Friedlander, Michael; Bastick, Patricia A; Lewis, Craig R; Segelov, Eva; Boyle, Frances M; Chin, Melvin T M; Webber, Kate; Barry, Benjamin K; Lloyd, Andrew R

    2017-07-01

    Cancer-related fatigue is prevalent and disabling. When persistent and unexplained, it is termed post-cancer fatigue (PCF). Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and graded exercise therapy (GET) may improve symptoms and functional outcomes. To evaluate the outcomes of a randomized controlled trial, which assigned patients with post-cancer fatigue to education, or 12 weeks of integrated cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and graded exercise therapy (GET). Three months after treatment for breast or colon cancer, eligible patients had clinically significant fatigue, no comorbid medical or psychiatric conditions that explained the fatigue, and no evidence of recurrence. The CBT/GET arm included individually tailored consultations at approximately two weekly intervals. The education arm included a single visit with clinicians describing the principles of CBT/GET and a booklet. The primary outcome was clinically significant improvement in self-reported fatigue (Somatic and Psychological HEalth REport 0-12), designated a priori as greater than one SD of improvement in fatigue score. The secondary outcome was associated improvement in function (role limitation due to physical health problems-36-Item Short Form Health Survey 0-100) comparing baseline, end treatment (12 weeks), and follow-up (24 weeks). There were 46 patients enrolled, including 43 women (94%), with a mean age of 51 years. Fatigue severity improved in all subjects from a mean of 5.2 (±3.1) at baseline to 3.9 (±2.8) at 12 weeks, suggesting a natural history of improvement. Clinically significant improvement was observed in 7 of 22 subjects in the intervention group compared with 2 of 24 in the education group (P < 0.05, χ 2 ). These subjects also had improvement in functional status compared with nonresponders (P < 0.01, t-test). Combined CBT/GET improves fatigue and functional outcomes for a subset of patients with post-cancer fatigue. Further studies to improve the response rate and the magnitude of

  7. National Cancer Database Analysis of Proton Versus Photon Radiation Therapy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Higgins, Kristin A., E-mail: kristin.higgins@emory.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); O' Connell, Kelli [Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Liu, Yuan [Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Gillespie, Theresa W. [Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Department of Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); McDonald, Mark W. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Pillai, Rathi N. [Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Patel, Kirtesh R.; Patel, Pretesh R. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Robinson, Clifford G. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri (United States); Simone, Charles B. [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Owonikoko, Taofeek K. [Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (United States); Belani, Chandra P. [Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute, Pennsylvania University, Hershey, Pennsylvania (United States); and others

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: To analyze outcomes and predictors associated with proton radiation therapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the National Cancer Database. Methods and Materials: The National Cancer Database was queried to capture patients with stage I-IV NSCLC treated with thoracic radiation from 2004 to 2012. A logistic regression model was used to determine the predictors for utilization of proton radiation therapy. The univariate and multivariable association with overall survival were assessed by Cox proportional hazards models along with log–rank tests. A propensity score matching method was implemented to balance baseline covariates and eliminate selection bias. Results: A total of 243,822 patients (photon radiation therapy: 243,474; proton radiation therapy: 348) were included in the analysis. Patients in a ZIP code with a median income of <$46,000 per year were less likely to receive proton treatment, with the income cohort of $30,000 to $35,999 least likely to receive proton therapy (odds ratio 0.63 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.44-0.90]; P=.011). On multivariate analysis of all patients, non-proton therapy was associated with significantly worse survival compared with proton therapy (hazard ratio 1.21 [95% CI 1.06-1.39]; P<.01). On propensity matched analysis, proton radiation therapy (n=309) was associated with better 5-year overall survival compared with non-proton radiation therapy (n=1549), 22% versus 16% (P=.025). For stage II and III patients, non-proton radiation therapy was associated with worse survival compared with proton radiation therapy (hazard ratio 1.35 [95% CI 1.10-1.64], P<.01). Conclusions: Thoracic radiation with protons is associated with better survival in this retrospective analysis; further validation in the randomized setting is needed to account for any imbalances in patient characteristics, including positron emission tomography–computed tomography staging.

  8. Problems and personal preferences in the therapy of rectal and anal cancers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rangabashyam, N.

    1985-01-01

    The three modalities of treatment for rectal cancer are radiotherapy chemotherapy and surgery. The problems in the therapy of rectal and anal cancers are discussed. For maximum benefit a combination of pre-operative irradiation and chemotherapy followed by surgery and if needed continued post-operative irradiation therapy is recommended. (author)

  9. Annual congress of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine. EANM'14. Abstracts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2014-10-15

    The proceedings of the annual congress of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine EANM'14 contain abstracts on the following issues: nuclear cardiology practices, PET in lymphoma, advances in nuclear cardiology, dosimetry for intra-arterial treatment in the liver, pediatric nuclear medicine, therapeutic nuclear medicine, SPECT/CT, prostate cancer, extended competencies for nuclear medicine technologists, neurosciences - neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation, radionuclide therapy and dosimetry - preclinical studies, physics and instrumentation, clinical molecular imaging, conventional and specialized nuclear medicine.

  10. Risk of Second Cancers According to Radiation Therapy Technique and Modality in Prostate Cancer Survivors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Berrington de Gonzalez, Amy, E-mail: berringtona@mail.nih.gov [Radiation Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland (United States); Wong, Jeannette; Kleinerman, Ruth; Kim, Clara; Morton, Lindsay [Radiation Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland (United States); Bekelman, Justin E. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States)

    2015-02-01

    Purpose: Radiation therapy (RT) techniques for prostate cancer are evolving rapidly, but the impact of these changes on risk of second cancers, which are an uncommon but serious consequence of RT, are uncertain. We conducted a comprehensive assessment of risks of second cancer according to RT technique (>10 MV vs ≤10 MV and 3-dimensional [3D] vs 2D RT) and modality (external beam RT, brachytherapy, and combined modes) in a large cohort of prostate cancer patients. Methods and Materials: The cohort was constructed using the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results-Medicare database. We included cases of prostate cancer diagnosed in patients 66 to 84 years of age from 1992 to 2004 and followed through 2009. We used Poisson regression analysis to compare rates of second cancer across RT groups with adjustment for age, follow-up, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and comorbidities. Analyses of second solid cancers were based on the number of 5-year survivors (n=38,733), and analyses of leukemia were based on number of 2-year survivors (n=52,515) to account for the minimum latency period for radiation-related cancer. Results: During an average of 4.4 years' follow-up among 5-year prostate cancer survivors (2DRT = 5.5 years; 3DRT = 3.9 years; and brachytherapy = 2.7 years), 2933 second solid cancers were diagnosed. There were no significant differences in second solid cancer rates overall between 3DRT and 2DRT patients (relative risk [RR] = 1.00, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.91-1.09), but second rectal cancer rates were significantly lower after 3DRT (RR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.40-0.88). Rates of second solid cancers for higher- and lower-energy RT were similar overall (RR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.89-1.06), as were rates for site-specific cancers. There were significant reductions in colon cancer and leukemia rates in the first decade after brachytherapy compared to those after external beam RT. Conclusions: Advanced treatment planning may have reduced rectal

  11. Targeted Therapy for Medullary Thyroid Cancer: A Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. R. Priya

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Medullary thyroid cancers (MTCs constitute between 2 and 5% of all thyroid cancers. The 10-year overall survival (OS rate of patients with localized disease is around 95% while that of patients with regional stage disease is about 75%. Only 20% of patients with distant metastases at diagnosis survive 10 years which is significantly lower than for differentiated thyroid cancers. Cases with regional metastases at presentation have high recurrence rates. Adjuvant external radiation confers local control but not improved OS. The management of residual, recurrent, or metastatic disease till a few years ago was re-surgery with local measures such as radiation. Chemotherapy was used with marginal benefit. The development of targeted therapy has brought in a major advantage in management of such patients. Two drugs—vandetanib and cabozantinib—have been approved for use in progressive or metastatic MTC. In addition, several drugs acting on other steps of the molecular pathway are being investigated with promising results. Targeted radionuclide therapy also provides an effective treatment option with good quality of life. This review covers the rationale of targeted therapy for MTC, present treatment options, drugs and methods under investigation, as well as an outline of the adverse effects and their management.

  12. Anti-Angiogenic Gene Therapy for Prostate Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    2004-04-01

    S. Parvovirus vectors for cancer gene therapy. Expert. Opin. Bid. Ther., 2004, 4: 53-64. Ponnazhagan, S., and Hoover, F. Delivery of DNA to tumor... vaccine with plasmid adjuvants 95h Annual Meeting of the American Society for Cancer Research, Orlando, FL, April 2004. Chaudhuri, T.R., Cao, Z...with recombinant AAV vectors results in sustained expression in a dog model of hemophilia. Gene Ther., 5: 40-49, 1998. 2ś 35. Bohl, D., Bosch, A

  13. Cancer of the larynx: radiation therapy. III

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, C.C.

    1976-01-01

    Radiation therapy is the treatment of choice for a T1 and T2 tumor with normal cord mobility and/or an exophytic lesion. It not only provides excellent control of the disease, but also preserves a good, useful voice in approximately 90 percent of the irradiated patients. For a T2 lesion with impaired cord mobility and/or moderate ulceration, a trial course of radiotherapy is initially given. If the tumor shows good regression and/or a return of normal cord mobility after a dose of 4000 rads, radiation therapy may be continued to a curative dose level, about 6500 rads. Surgery is reserved for treating residual disease six to eight weeks after radiation therapy or for recurrence. A T3 lesion with complete cord fixation and/or deep ulceration with nodes does not respond favorably to radiation therapy, and a planned combination of irradiation and laryngectomy is advised. Disease that extends beyond the larynx, T4, is rarely curable by radiation therapy alone. If the lesion is still operable, a combined approach of radiation and surgery is preferred; if not, palliative radiation therapy is given. Lymph node metastases from laryngeal carcinoma indicate advanced disease and is managed by preoperative irradiation and radical neck dissection. Under a program of therapeutic individualization, two-thirds to three-quarters of patients with cancer of the larynx can be cured by irradiation with preservation of a good, useful voice. In the remainder, the larynx must be sacrificed to save the patient's life. The ultimate control of laryngeal cancer lies in eradicating the extensive primary lesion and metastatic nodes, a common problem in the management of squamous cell carcinoma elsewhere in the body

  14. Personalizing therapy for colorectal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Ashley; Ma, Brigette B Y

    2014-01-01

    Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide. Several important scientific discoveries in the molecular biology of CRC have changed clinical practice in oncology. These included the comprehensive genome-wide profiling of CRC by the Cancer Genome Atlas Network, the discovery of mutations along the RAS-RAF signaling pathway as major determinants of response to antibodies against the epidermal growth factor receptor, the elucidation of new molecular subsets of CRC or gene signatures that may predict clinical outcome after adjuvant chemotherapy, and the innovative targeting of the family of vascular endothelial growth factor and receptors. These new data have allowed oncologists to individualize drug therapy on the basis of a patient's tumor's unique molecular profile, especially in the management of metastatic CRC. This review article will discuss the progress of personalized medicine in the contemporary management of CRC. Copyright © 2014 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Effect of Thyrotropin Suppression Therapy on Bone in Thyroid Cancer Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papaleontiou, Maria; Hawley, Sarah T; Haymart, Megan R

    2016-02-01

    The thyroid cancer incidence is rising. Despite current guidelines, controversy exists regarding the degree and duration of thyrotropin suppression therapy. Also, its potential skeletal effects remain a concern to physicians caring for thyroid cancer patients. We conducted a review of published data to evaluate existing studies focusing on the skeletal effects of thyrotropin suppression therapy in thyroid cancer patients. A systematic search of the PubMed, Ovid/Medline, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases was conducted. The retained studies were evaluated for methodological quality, and the study populations were categorized into premenopausal women, postmenopausal women, and men. Twenty-five pertinent studies were included. Seven studies were longitudinal and 18 were cross-sectional. Of the 25 included studies, 13 were assigned an excellent methodological quality score. Three of 5 longitudinal studies and 3 of 13 cross-sectional studies reported decreased bone mineral density (BMD) in premenopausal women; 2 of 4 longitudinal studies and 5 of 13 cross-sectional studies reported decreased BMD in postmenopausal women. The remaining studies showed no effect on BMD. The only longitudinal study of men showed bone mass loss; however, cross-sectional studies of men did not demonstrate a similar effect. Studies to date have yielded conflicting results on the skeletal effects of thyrotropin suppression therapy and a knowledge gap remains, especially for older adults and men. Existing data should be cautiously interpreted because of the variable quality and heterogeneity. Identifying groups at risk of adverse effects from thyrotropin suppression therapy will be instrumental to providing focused and tailored thyroid cancer treatment. The standard treatment for thyroid cancer includes total thyroidectomy with or without radioactive iodine ablation, often followed by thyrotropin suppression therapy. Despite current guidelines, controversy exists

  16. Factors Affecting Adjuvant Therapy in Stage III Pancreatic Cancer—Analysis of the National Cancer Database

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mridula Krishnan

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Background: Adjuvant therapy after curative resection is associated with survival benefit in stage III pancreatic cancer. We analyzed the factors affecting the outcome of adjuvant therapy in stage III pancreatic cancer and compared overall survival with different modalities of adjuvant treatment. Methods: This is a retrospective study of patients with stage III pancreatic cancer listed in the National Cancer Database (NCDB who were diagnosed between 2004 and 2012. Patients were stratified based on adjuvant therapy they received. Unadjusted Kaplan-Meier and multivariable Cox regression analysis were performed. Results: We analyzed a cohort included 1731 patients who were recipients of adjuvant therapy for stage III pancreatic cancer within the limits of our database. Patients who received adjuvant chemoradiation had the longest postdiagnosis survival time, followed by patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy, and finally patients who received no adjuvant therapy. On multivariate analysis, advancing age and patients with Medicaid had worse survival, whereas Spanish origin and lower Charlson comorbidity score had better survival. Conclusions: Our study is the largest trial using the NCDB addressing the effects of adjuvant therapy specifically in stage III pancreatic cancer. Within the limits of our study, survival benefit with adjuvant therapy was more apparent with longer duration from date of diagnosis.

  17. Depression related to (neo)adjuvant hormonal therapy for prostate cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tol-Geerdink, Julia J. van; Leer, Jan Willem; Lin, Emile N.J.T. van; Schimmel, Erik C.; Stalmeier, Peep F.M.

    2011-01-01

    Background: We studied whether hormonal therapy, (neo)adjuvant to radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer, is related to an increase in depression and whether this is caused by the hormonal therapy itself or by the relatively poor prognosis of patients who get (neo)adjuvant hormonal therapy. Methods: Between 2002 and 2005, 288 patients, irradiated for prostate cancer (T1-3N0M0), were studied prospectively in two clinics. In one clinic almost all patients received (neo)adjuvant androgen deprivation (Bicalutamide + Gosereline). In a second clinic hormonal therapy was prescribed mainly for high risk patients. This allowed us to separate the effects of hormonal therapy and the patient's prognosis. Results: During the course of hormonal therapy, depression was significantly heightened by both hormone use (p < 0.001) and poor prognosis (p < 0.01). After completion of hormonal therapy, poor prognosis continued to affect the depression score (p < 0.01). The increase was, however, small. Conclusions: Depression was mildly increased in patients receiving hormonal therapy. The increase appeared to be related to both the hormone therapy itself and the high risk status of patients. High risk status, with the associated poor prognosis, had a more sustained effect on depression. The rise was statistically significant, but was too small, however, to bear clinical significance.

  18. The host immunological response to cancer therapy: An emerging concept in tumor biology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Voloshin, Tali; Voest, Emile E.; Shaked, Yuval

    2013-01-01

    Almost any type of anti-cancer treatment including chemotherapy, radiation, surgery and targeted drugs can induce host molecular and cellular immunological effects which, in turn, can lead to tumor outgrowth and relapse despite an initial successful therapy outcome. Tumor relapse due to host immunological effects is attributed to angiogenesis, tumor cell dissemination from the primary tumors and seeding at metastatic sites. This short review will describe the types of host cells that participate in this process, the types of factors secreted from the host following therapy that can promote tumor re-growth, and the possible implications of this unique and yet only partially-known process. It is postulated that blocking these specific immunological effects in the reactive host in response to cancer therapy may aid in identifying new host-dependent targets for cancer, which in combination with conventional treatments can prolong therapy efficacy and extend survival. Additional studies investigating this specific research direction—both in preclinical models and in the clinical setting are essential in order to advance our understanding of how tumors relapse and evade therapy. -- Highlights: • Cancer therapy induces host molecular and cellular pro-tumorigenic effects. • Host effects in response to therapy may promote tumor relapse and metastasis. • The reactive host consists of immunological mediators promoting tumor re-growth. • Blocking therapy-induced host mediators may improve outcome

  19. The host immunological response to cancer therapy: An emerging concept in tumor biology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Voloshin, Tali [Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and the Rappaport Institute, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, 1 Efron Street, Bat Galim, Haifa 31096 (Israel); Voest, Emile E. [Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht (Netherlands); Shaked, Yuval, E-mail: yshaked@tx.technion.ac.il [Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and the Rappaport Institute, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, 1 Efron Street, Bat Galim, Haifa 31096 (Israel)

    2013-07-01

    Almost any type of anti-cancer treatment including chemotherapy, radiation, surgery and targeted drugs can induce host molecular and cellular immunological effects which, in turn, can lead to tumor outgrowth and relapse despite an initial successful therapy outcome. Tumor relapse due to host immunological effects is attributed to angiogenesis, tumor cell dissemination from the primary tumors and seeding at metastatic sites. This short review will describe the types of host cells that participate in this process, the types of factors secreted from the host following therapy that can promote tumor re-growth, and the possible implications of this unique and yet only partially-known process. It is postulated that blocking these specific immunological effects in the reactive host in response to cancer therapy may aid in identifying new host-dependent targets for cancer, which in combination with conventional treatments can prolong therapy efficacy and extend survival. Additional studies investigating this specific research direction—both in preclinical models and in the clinical setting are essential in order to advance our understanding of how tumors relapse and evade therapy. -- Highlights: • Cancer therapy induces host molecular and cellular pro-tumorigenic effects. • Host effects in response to therapy may promote tumor relapse and metastasis. • The reactive host consists of immunological mediators promoting tumor re-growth. • Blocking therapy-induced host mediators may improve outcome.

  20. MicroRNAs: A Puzzling Tool in Cancer Diagnostics and Therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Angelo, Barbara; Benedetti, Elisabetta; Cimini, Annamaria; Giordano, Antonio

    2016-11-01

    MicroRNAs (miRNAs) constitute a dominating class of small RNAs that regulate diverse cellular functions. Due the pivotal role of miRNAs in biological processes, a deregulated miRNA expression is likely involved in human cancers. MicroRNAs possess tumor suppressor capability, as well as display oncogenic characteristics. Interestingly, miRNAs exist in various biological fluids as circulating entities. Changes in the profile of circulating miRNAs are indicative of pathophysiological conditions in human cancer. This concept has led to consider circulating miRNAs valid biomarkers in cancer diagnostics. Furthermore, current research promotes the use of miRNAs as a target in cancer therapy. However, miRNAs are an evolving research field. Although miRNAs have been demonstrated to be potentially valuable tools both in cancer diagnosis and treatment, a greater effort should be made to improve our understanding of miRNAs biology. This review describes the biology of microRNAs, emphasizing on the use of miRNAs in cancer diagnostics and therapy. Copyright© 2016 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.

  1. Stimuli-Responsive NO Release for On-Demand Gas-Sensitized Synergistic Cancer Therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Wenpei; Yung, Bryant C; Chen, Xiaoyuan

    2018-03-08

    Featuring high biocompatibility, the emerging field of gas therapy has attracted extensive attention in the medical and scientific communities. Currently, considerable research has focused on the gasotransmitter nitric oxide (NO) owing to its unparalleled dual roles in directly killing cancer cells at high concentrations and cooperatively sensitizing cancer cells to other treatments for synergistic therapy. Of particular note, recent state-of-the-art studies have turned our attention to the chemical design of various endogenous/exogenous stimuli-responsive NO-releasing nanomedicines and their biomedical applications for on-demand NO-sensitized synergistic cancer therapy, which are discussed in this Minireview. Moreover, the potential challenges regarding NO gas therapy are also described, aiming to advance the development of NO nanomedicines as well as usher in new frontiers in this fertile research area. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  2. Soy isoflavones, estrogen therapy, and breast cancer risk: analysis and commentary

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wood Charles E

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract There has been considerable investigation of the potential for soyfoods to reduce risk of cancer, and in particular cancer of the breast. Most interest in this relationship is because soyfoods are essentially a unique dietary source of isoflavones, compounds which bind to estrogen receptors and exhibit weak estrogen-like effects under certain experimental conditions. In recent years the relationship between soyfoods and breast cancer has become controversial because of concerns – based mostly on in vitro and rodent data – that isoflavones may stimulate the growth of existing estrogen-sensitive breast tumors. This controversy carries considerable public health significance because of the increasing popularity of soyfoods and the commercial availability of isoflavone supplements. In this analysis and commentary we attempt to outline current concerns regarding the estrogen-like effects of isoflavones in the breast focusing primarily on the clinical trial data and place these concerns in the context of recent evidence regarding estrogen therapy use in postmenopausal women. Overall, there is little clinical evidence to suggest that isoflavones will increase breast cancer risk in healthy women or worsen the prognosis of breast cancer patients. Although relatively limited research has been conducted, and the clinical trials often involved small numbers of subjects, there is no evidence that isoflavone intake increases breast tissue density in pre- or postmenopausal women or increases breast cell proliferation in postmenopausal women with or without a history of breast cancer. The epidemiologic data are generally consistent with the clinical data, showing no indication of increased risk. Furthermore, these clinical and epidemiologic data are consistent with what appears to be a low overall breast cancer risk associated with pharmacologic unopposed estrogen exposure in postmenopausal women. While more research is required to definitively

  3. Chemoradiation therapy for esophageal cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ohira, Masaichi; Yamashita, Yoshito; Matsumura, Yumiko; Yamazaki, Masanao; Kubo, Naoshi; Hirakawa, Kosei

    2002-01-01

    The current status and future prospects of chemoradiation therapy (CRT) for esophageal cancer are reviewed herein. In Western countries, CRT is performed for every stage of esophageal cancer and it has been reported that in definitive CRT series the complete response rate is 30 to 50%, the mean survival rate more than twelve months, and the in 2-year survival rate about 30%, while in neoadjuvant CRT series the pathological response rate is 20 to 50%, the mean survival period more than twenty months, and the 3-year survival 30 to 40%. On the other hand, as esophageal cancer is treated mainly by surgery in Japan, CRT is applied in patients with tumors invading adjacent organs, and a high pathological complete response rate is reported in some neoadjuvant studies. Although both definitive and neoadjuvant CRT increases the response rate and improves local tumor control, CRT is associated with substantial mortality and morbidity, especially in neoadjuvant series. More effective and less toxic CRT regimens, using new chemotherapeutic agents such as nedaplatin and paclitaxel and new irradiation protocol such as accelated hyperfractionation, are needed to improve the prognosis of patients with advanced esophageal cancer. (author)

  4. The End of Nihilism: Systemic Therapy of Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ernani, Vinicius; Steuer, Conor E; Jahanzeb, Mohammad

    2017-01-14

    Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States and many other parts of the world. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) comprises 85-90% of lung cancers. Historically, the expected survival of patients with advanced disease has been estimated in months. In recent years, however, lung cancer has come to be seen as a treatable disease with multiple therapeutic options. Enormous advances in the understanding of its pathways and mechanisms have enabled personalized therapy in NSCLC. The evolving approach to therapy focuses on genomic profiling of the tumors to find molecular targets and develop specific agents for individualized therapy. In addition, maintenance therapy has emerged as a valid approach, and the choice of chemotherapy now varies by histology. Most recently, immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors has shown promising results, with impressive durations of response and a tolerable toxicity profile. Together, these discoveries have improved overall survival substantially in patient populations that have access to these advancements. We review the clinical data surrounding these impressive improvements.

  5. Tumor exosomes: cellular postmen of cancer diagnosis and personalized therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Aman; Khatun, Zamila; Shiras, Anjali

    2016-02-01

    Nanosized (30-150 nm) extracellular vesicles 'exosomes' are secreted by cells for intercellular communication during normal and pathological conditions. Exosomes carry biomacromolecules from cell-of-origin and, therefore, represent molecular bioprint of the cell. Tumor-derived exosomes or TDEx modulate tumor microenvironment by transfer of macromolecules locally as well as at distant metastatic sites. Due to their biological stability, TDEx are rich source of biomarkers in cancer patients. TDEx focused cancer diagnosis allows liquid biopsy-based tumor typing and may facilitate therapy response monitoring by developing novel exosomes diagnostics. Therefore, efficient and specific capturing of exosomes for subsequent amplification of the biomessages; for example, DNA, RNA, miRNA can reinvent cancer diagnosis. Here, in this review, we discuss advancements in exosomes isolation strategies, presence of exosomes biomarkers and importance of TDEx in gauging tumor heterogeneity for their potential use in cancer diagnosis, therapy.

  6. Radiation therapy of penile cancer: six to ten-year follow-up

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grabstald, H.; Kelley, C.D.

    1980-01-01

    Ten patients with penile cancer were treated with radiation therapy between 1968 and 1973. Nine of ten remain free of disease though in 1 patient a new penile primary developed eight years after the radiation therapy and was treated by partial penectomy. One patient died following surgery for ''bleeding ulcer.'' He was free of penile cancer five years after radiation. The most common complication is urethral stricture and skin telangiectasia

  7. Targeted Therapies for Myeloma and Metastatic Bone Cancers

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-09-01

    Cancer J Clin 2003; 53:5. Kasugai S, Fujisawa R, Waki Y, Miyamoto K, Ohya K 2000 Selective drug delivery system to bone: small peptide (Asp)6...page. Bone targeted nanoparticles , bone cancer myeloma, mice studies, PLGA , Biodegradable materials. Targeted Therapies for Myeloma and Metastatic Bone...present results from this program at talk at the Particles 2006 –Medical/Biochemical Diagnostic , Pharmaceutical, and Drug Delivery . 3

  8. Beyond radioiodine: novel therapies in advanced thyroid cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haugen, Bryan R.

    2004-01-01

    Full text: Thyroid cancer is a relatively common endocrine malignancy. Fortunately, many patients do well with standard therapy including surgery and radioiodine. A minority of patients have poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma that is unresponsive to radioiodine therapy. Redifferentiation agents that 'reprogram ' these tumors to concentrate radioiodine would be of great value in treating patients with advanced thyroid cancer. The retinoid isotretinoin is the most extensively studied of these agents. It appears that 20-40% of patients respond to isotretinoin treatment by concentration of radioiodine in metastatic tumors, but the clinical utility of this redifferentiation is still unclear. In vitro studies suggest that the retinoid receptors RARβ and RXRγ are required for this effect. Abnormal DNA methylation may be an early event in thyroid tumorigenesis and methylation of the sodium iodide symporter (NIS) may play a role in loss of iodine concentration in these tumors. Inhibitors of methylation (5-azacytidine, phenylacetate and sodium butyrate) have been shown to increase NIS expression and iodine uptake in cell culture models, but published trials in humans are not yet available. Histone acetylation is required for efficient transcription of genes necessary for differentiated function. Proteins that cause histone deacetylation inhibit gene transcription and differentiated function. Inhibitors of histone deacetylation (depsipeptide, trichostatin A) have been shown to increase NIS expression and iodine uptake in poorly differentiated and undifferentiated cell lines. Finally, commonly used agents such as thiazolidine diones (diabetes) and HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (hypercholesterolemia) have shown promise in preliminary in vitro studies in advanced thyroid cancer cell lines. Our own work has focused on receptor-selective retinoids and thiazolidine diones as potential therapy in patients with advanced thyroid cancer based on nuclear hormone receptor

  9. Premature aging/senescence in cancer cells facing therapy: good or bad?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzalez, Llilians Calvo; Ghadaouia, Sabrina; Martinez, Aurélie; Rodier, Francis

    2016-02-01

    Normal and cancer cells facing their demise following exposure to radio-chemotherapy can actively participate in choosing their subsequent fate. These programmed cell fate decisions include true cell death (apoptosis-necroptosis) and therapy-induced cellular senescence (TIS), a permanent "proliferative arrest" commonly portrayed as premature cellular aging. Despite a permanent loss of proliferative potential, senescent cells remain viable and are highly bioactive at the microenvironment level, resulting in a prolonged impact on tissue architecture and functions. Cellular senescence is primarily documented as a tumor suppression mechanism that prevents cellular transformation. In the context of normal tissues, cellular senescence also plays important roles in tissue repair, but contributes to age-associated tissue dysfunction when senescent cells accumulate. Theoretically, in multi-step cancer progression models, cancer cells have already bypassed cellular senescence during their immortalization step (see hallmarks of cancer). It is then perhaps surprising to find that cancer cells often retain the ability to undergo TIS, or premature aging. This occurs because cellular senescence results from multiple signalling pathways, some retained in cancer cells, aiming to prevent cell cycle progression in damaged cells. Since senescent cancer cells persist after therapy and secrete an array of cytokines and growth factors that can modulate the tumor microenvironment, these cells may have beneficial and detrimental effects regarding immune modulation and survival of remaining proliferation-competent cancer cells. Similarly, while normal cells undergoing senescence are believed to remain indefinitely growth arrested, whether this is true for senescent cancer cells remains unclear, raising the possibility that these cells may represent a reservoir for cancer recurrence after treatment. This review discusses our current knowledge on cancer cell senescence and highlight questions

  10. Drug Carrier for Photodynamic Cancer Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tilahun Ayane Debele

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Photodynamic therapy (PDT is a non-invasive combinatorial therapeutic modality using light, photosensitizer (PS, and oxygen used for the treatment of cancer and other diseases. When PSs in cells are exposed to specific wavelengths of light, they are transformed from the singlet ground state (S0 to an excited singlet state (S1–Sn, followed by intersystem crossing to an excited triplet state (T1. The energy transferred from T1 to biological substrates and molecular oxygen, via type I and II reactions, generates reactive oxygen species, (1O2, H2O2, O2*, HO*, which causes cellular damage that leads to tumor cell death through necrosis or apoptosis. The solubility, selectivity, and targeting of photosensitizers are important factors that must be considered in PDT. Nano-formulating PSs with organic and inorganic nanoparticles poses as potential strategy to satisfy the requirements of an ideal PDT system. In this review, we summarize several organic and inorganic PS carriers that have been studied to enhance the efficacy of photodynamic therapy against cancer.

  11. Personalizing gene therapy in gastric cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vogiatzi, P; Cassone, M; Claudio, P P

    2006-11-01

    Gene therapy was proposed many decades ago as a more straightforward and definitive way of curing human diseases, but only recently technical advancements and improved knowledge have allowed its active development as a broad and promising research field. After the first successes in the cure of genetic and infectious diseases, it has been actively investigated as a means to decrease the burden and suffering generated by cancer. The field of gastric cancer is witnessing an impressive flourishing of studies testing the possibilities and actual efficacy of the many different strategies employed in gene therapy, and overall results seem to be two-sided: while original ideas and innovative protocols are providing extremely interesting contributions with great potential, more advanced-phase studies concluded so far have fallen short of expectations regarding efficacy, although invariably demonstrating little or no toxicity. An overview of the major efforts in this field is provided here, and a critical discussion is presented on the single strategies undertaken and on the overall balance between potentiality and pitfalls. Copyright 2006 Prous Science. All rights reserved.

  12. Integrating diet and exercise into care of prostate cancer patients on androgen deprivation therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moyad MA

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Mark A Moyad,1 Robert U Newton,2 Ulf W Tunn,3 Damian Gruca4 1Department of Urology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; 2Exercise Medicine Research Institute, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, Australia; 3Urological Clinic, Facharztzentrum Academic Hospital Sana Klinikum Offenbach, Offenbach/Main, 4Global Medical Affairs, AbbVie Deutschland, Ludwigshafen, Germany Abstract: Improved diagnosis and treatment regimens have resulted in greater longevity for men with prostate cancer. This has led to an increase in both androgen deprivation therapy (ADT use and duration of exposure, and therefore to its associated adverse effects, such as sexual dysfunction, osteoporosis, reduced muscle mass, increased fat mass, and increased incidence of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Given that the adverse effects of ADT are systemic, often debilitating, and difficult to treat, efforts continue in the development of new strategies for long-term management of prostate cancer. The PubMed database was searched to select trials, reviews, and meta-analyses in English using such search terms as “prostate cancer” and “androgen deprivation therapy”, “cardiovascular risk”, “lean body mass”, “exercise”, and “diet”. The initial searches produced 379 articles with dates 2005 or more recent. Articles published after 2004 were favored. This review utilizes the latest data to provide a status update on the effects of exercise and diet on patients with prostate cancer, focusing on ADT-associated side effects, and it discusses the evidence for such interventions. Since the evidence of large-scale trials in patients with prostate cancer is missing, and an extrapolation of supporting data to all patient subgroups cannot be provided, individualized risk assessments remain necessary before the initiation of exercise and diet programs. Exercise, diet, and nutritional supplementation interventions have the potential to

  13. Body composition and bone density during and after childhood cancer therapy : The flip side of therapy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    den Hoed, M.A.H.

    2017-01-01

    In the Netherlands, there are approximately 8000 childhood cancer survivors, and this population of survivors is expanding due to improved therapy. However, therapy has a consequent flip side, namely their inherent side effects. Approximately 75% of the CCS will develop one or more severe chronic

  14. Hormone replacement therapy and the risk of endometrial cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sjögren, Lea L; Mørch, Lina Steinrud; Løkkegaard, Ellen

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: In 1975, estrogen only was found to be associated with an increased risk of endometrial cancer. In November 2015, NICE guidelines on hormone therapy were published that did not take this risk into account. AIM: This systematic literature review assesses the safety of estrogen plus...... progestin therapy according to the risk of endometrial cancer, while considering both regimen and type of progestin. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library were searched, resulting in the identification of 527 published articles on menopausal women with intact uteri treated with estrogen only......, estrogen plus progestin or tibolone for a minimum of one year. Risk of endometrial cancer was compared to placebo or never users and measured as relative risk, hazard or odds ratio. RESULTS: 28 studies were included. The observational literature found an increased risk among users of estrogen alone...

  15. Management of severe urethral complications of prostate cancer therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elliott, Sean P; McAninch, Jack W; Chi, Thomas; Doyle, Sean M; Master, Viraj A

    2006-12-01

    We present our management of urethral stenosis and rectourinary fistula resulting from prostate cancer therapy. We concentrated on cases refractory to minimally invasive treatment, such as dilation, urethrotomy, and urinary and/or fecal diversion. In our prospectively collected urethral reconstruction database we identified patients who underwent reconstruction of urethral stenosis or rectourinary fistula who also received prior treatment for prostate cancer. We documented demographics, prostate cancer pretreatment characteristics, prostate cancer therapy type, urethral reconstruction type and success. A total of 48 patients met the inclusion criteria, including 16 with rectourinary fistula and 32 with urethral stenosis. Urethral complications followed prior radical prostatectomy, brachytherapy, external beam radiotherapy, cryotherapy, thermal ablation and any combination of these procedures. Stenosis repair was successful in 23 of 32 cases (73%) and it differed little between anterior and posterior urethral stenosis. Repair was accomplished by anastomotic urethroplasty in 19 cases, flap urethroplasty in 2, perineal urethrostomy in 2 and a urethral stent in 9. Prior external beam radiotherapy was a risk factor for urethral reconstruction failure. Fistula repair was successful in 14 of 15 patients (93%), excluding 1 who died postoperatively. The complexity of fistula management was dictated by fistula size and the presence or absence of coincident urethral stenosis. Urethral stenosis or rectourethral fistula following prostate cancer therapy can be managed by urethral reconstruction, such that normal voiding via the urethra is maintained, rather than abandoning the urethral outlet and performing heterotopic diversion. This can be accomplished with an acceptable rate of failure, given the complexity of the cases.

  16. Multimodality therapy of local regional esophageal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelsen, David P

    2005-12-01

    Recent trials regarding the use of multimodality therapy for patients with cancers of the esophagus and gastroesophageal junction have not conclusively shown benefit. Regimens containing cisplatin and fluorouracil administered preoperatively appear to be tolerable and do not increase operative morbidity or mortality when compared with surgery alone. Yet clinical trials have not clearly shown that such regimens improve outcome as measured by survival. Likewise, trials of postoperative chemoradiation have not reported a significant improvement in median or overall survival. The reasons for the lack of clinical benefit from multimodality therapy are not completely understood, but improvements in systemic therapy will probably be necessary before disease-free or overall survival improves substantially. Some new single agents such as the taxanes (docetaxel or paclitaxel) and the camptothecan analog irinotecan have shown modest activity for palliative therapy.

  17. Hypothyroidism following surgery and radiation therapy for head and neck cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, I. K.; Kim, J. C.

    1997-01-01

    Radiation therapy in combination with surgery has an important role in the therapy of the head and neck cancer. We conducted a prospective study for patients with head and neck cancer treated with surgery and radiation to evaluate the effect of therapies on the thyroid gland, and to identify the factors that might influence the development of hypothyroidism. From September 1986 through December 1994, 71 patients with head and cancer treated with surgery and radiation were included in this prospective study. Patients' age ranged from 32 to 73 years with a median age of 58 years. There were 12 women and 59 men. Total laryngectomy with neck dissection was carried out in 45 patients and neck dissection alone in 26 patients. All patients were serially monitored for thyroid function before and after radiation therapy. Radiation dose to the thyroid gland ranged from 40.6Gy to 60Gy with a median dose of 50Gy. The follow-up duration was 3 to 80 months. The overall incidence of hypothyroidism was 56.3% (40/71); 7 out of 71 patients (9.9%) developed clinical hypothyroidism and 33 patients (46.4%) developed subclinical hypothyroidism. No thyroid nodules, thyroid cancers, or hyperthyroidism was detected. The risk factor that significantly influenced the incidence of hypothyroidism was a combination of surgery (total laryngectomy with neck dissection) and radiation therapy (P=0.0000). Four of 26 patients (15.4%) with neck dissection alone developed hypothyroidism while 36 of 45 patients (80%) with laryngectomy and neck dissection developed hypothyroidism. The hypothyroidism following surgery and radiation therapy was a relatively common complication. The factor that significantly influenced the incidence of hypothyroidism was combination of surgery and radiation therapy. Evaluation of thyroid function before and after radiation therapy with periodic thyroid function tests is recommended for an early detection of hypothyroidism and thyroid hormone replacement therapy is

  18. Hypothyroidism following surgery and radiation therapy for head and neck cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, I. K.; Kim, J. C. [Kyungpook National Univ., Taegu (Korea, Republic of). Coll. of Medicine

    1997-09-01

    Radiation therapy in combination with surgery has an important role in the therapy of the head and neck cancer. We conducted a prospective study for patients with head and neck cancer treated with surgery and radiation to evaluate the effect of therapies on the thyroid gland, and to identify the factors that might influence the development of hypothyroidism. From September 1986 through December 1994, 71 patients with head and cancer treated with surgery and radiation were included in this prospective study. Patients` age ranged from 32 to 73 years with a median age of 58 years. There were 12 women and 59 men. Total laryngectomy with neck dissection was carried out in 45 patients and neck dissection alone in 26 patients. All patients were serially monitored for thyroid function before and after radiation therapy. Radiation dose to the thyroid gland ranged from 40.6Gy to 60Gy with a median dose of 50Gy. The follow-up duration was 3 to 80 months. The overall incidence of hypothyroidism was 56.3% (40/71); 7 out of 71 patients (9.9%) developed clinical hypothyroidism and 33 patients (46.4%) developed subclinical hypothyroidism. No thyroid nodules, thyroid cancers, or hyperthyroidism was detected. The risk factor that significantly influenced the incidence of hypothyroidism was a combination of surgery (total laryngectomy with neck dissection) and radiation therapy (P=0.0000). Four of 26 patients (15.4%) with neck dissection alone developed hypothyroidism while 36 of 45 patients (80%) with laryngectomy and neck dissection developed hypothyroidism. The hypothyroidism following surgery and radiation therapy was a relatively common complication. The factor that significantly influenced the incidence of hypothyroidism was combination of surgery and radiation therapy. Evaluation of thyroid function before and after radiation therapy with periodic thyroid function tests is recommended for an early detection of hypothyroidism and thyroid hormone replacement therapy is

  19. Refining Preoperative Therapy for Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    In the PROSPECT trial, patients with locally advanced, resectable rectal cancer will be randomly assigned to receive either standard neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy or neoadjuvant FOLFOX chemotherapy, with chemoradiation reserved for nonresponders.

  20. Role of chemoradiotherapy in oesophageal cancer -- adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gwynne, S.; Wijnhoven, B. P. L.; Hulshof, M.; Bateman, A.

    2014-01-01

    Despite low postoperative mortality rates, the long-term outcomes from surgical-based treatment for oesophageal cancer remain poor. Chemoradiotherapy (CRT), either given before surgical resection as neoadjuvant therapy or after resection as adjuvant therapy, has been postulated to improve these

  1. Focal Therapy in Prostate Cancer-Report from a Consensus Panel

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de la Rosette, J.; Ahmed, H.; Barentsz, J.; Johansen, T. Bjerklund; Brausi, M.; Emberton, M.; Frauscher, F.; Greene, D.; Harisinghani, M.; Haustermans, K.; Heidenreich, A.; Kovacs, G.; Mason, M.; Montironi, R.; Mouraviev, V.; de Reijke, T.; Taneja, S.; Thuroff, S.; Tombal, B.; Trachtenberg, J.; Wijkstra, H.; Polascik, T.

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: To establish a consensus in relation to case selection, conduct of therapy, and outcomes that are associated with focal therapy for men with localized prostate cancer. Material and Methods: Urologic surgeons, radiation oncologists, radiologists, and histopathologists from North America and

  2. Focal therapy in prostate cancer-report from a consensus panel.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rosette, J.J.M.H.C. de la; Ahmed, H.; Barentsz, J.O.; Johansen, T.B.; Brausi, M.; Emberton, M.; Frauscher, F.; Greene, D.; Harisinghani, M.; Haustermans, K.; Heidenreich, A.; Kovacs, G.; Mason, M.; Montironi, R.; Mouraviev, V.; Reijke, T. de; Taneja, S.; Thuroff, S.; Tombal, B.; Trachtenberg, J.; Wijkstra, H.; Polascik, T.

    2010-01-01

    PURPOSE: To establish a consensus in relation to case selection, conduct of therapy, and outcomes that are associated with focal therapy for men with localized prostate cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Urologic surgeons, radiation oncologists, radiologists, and histopathologists from North America and

  3. Autopsy findings in 40 cases of esophageal cancer treated with radiation therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamakawa, Michitaka; Shiojima, Kazumi; Hasegawa, Masatoshi

    1995-01-01

    We analyzed local control, lymph node metastases and distant metastases for autopsy cases of esophageal cancer treated with radiation therapy alone. Thirty-eight patients had squamous cell carcinoma, one had adenosquamous carcinoma and one had undifferentiated carcinoma. Sixteen patients received a total dose less than 60 Gy and 24 received 60 Gy or more. The 1-year, 3-year, 5-year overall survival rates by Kaplan-Meier method were 45.8%, 16.7%, 8.3%, respectively. Four patients (10%) were free of tumors, and another six (15%) had no primary tumor but metastases. Thirty patients had persistent or recurrent primary tumors. Local tumor control rates were 25% for all patients and 34% for patients who survived more than 3 months and 33% for patients irradiated with 60 Gy or more. Tumor type, tumor length and survival times were significantly related with tumor control rates. Perforations into neighboring organs were observed in eighteen patients (45%); 12 were perforated into respiratory systems, 4 into vascular systems, 1 into the mediastinum and 1 into the pleural cavity. Thirty-two patients (80%) had lymph node metastases. Twenty-seven patients (68%) had distant metastases; 20 in the lung, 19 in the liver, 10 in the stomach, 8 in the pancreas and the adrenal gland, 7 in the pleura, 6 in the bone and the heart and the diaphragm. Concurrent double cancer was observed at autopsy in six patients; 2 early gastric cancers, 2 latent hepatomas, 1 lung cancer, 1 latent thyroid cancer. Three patients had a history of resection of other cancer before radiation therapy to esophageal cancer; 2 had gastric cancer and 1 had submandibular cancer. One patient who had another esophageal cancer apart from the first esophageal cancer received radiation therapy 12 years ago. In conclusion, the local control rate was 33% for autopsy cases of esophageal cancer treated with radiation therapy of 60 Gy or more. (J.P.N.)

  4. Gene therapy a promising treatment for breast cancer: current scenario in pakistan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Muzavir, S.R.; Zahra, S.A.; Ahmad, A.

    2012-01-01

    Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women around the world. It accounts for 22.9% of all the cancers and 18% of all female cancers in the world. One million new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed every year. Pakistan has more alarming situation with 90,000 new cases and ending up into 40,000 deaths annually. The risk factor for a female to develop breast cancer as compared with male is 100 : 1. The traditional way of treatment is by surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Advanced breast cancer is very difficult to treat with any of the traditional treatment options. A new treatment option in the form of gene therapy can be a promising treatment for breast cancer. Gene therapy provides treatment option in the form of targeting mutated gene, expression of cancer markers on the surface of cells, blocking the metastasis and induction of apoptosis, etc. Gene therapy showed very promising results for treatment of various cancers. All this is being trialed, experimented and practiced outside of Pakistan. Therefore, there is an immense need that this kind of work should be started in Pakistan. There are many good research institutes as well as well-reputed hospitals in Pakistan. Presently, there is a need to develop collaboration between research institutes and hospitals, so that the basic work and clinical trials can be done to treat breast cancer patients in the country. This collaboration will prove to be very healthy and will not only strength research institute but also will be very beneficial for cancer patients. (author)

  5. Result of radiation therapy of sino-nasal cancers using partial attenuation filter

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Jin Hee; Kim, Ok Bae; Choi, Tae Jin [Keimyung University College of Medicine, Daegu (Korea, Republic of)

    2007-06-15

    This study was to evaluate the survival and pattern of failure after radiation therapy of sino-nasal cancer using partial attenuation filer and wedged beams and to help radiotherapy planning of sino-nasal cancer. Between February 1992 and March 2003, 17 patients with sino-nasal cancers underwent radiation therapy using partial attenuation filter at Dongsan Medical Center, Keimyung university. There were 9 male and 8 female patients. Patients' age ranged from 40 to 75 years (median 59 years). There were 10 patients of maxillary sinus cancer, 7 patients of nasal cancer. The histologic type was squamous cell carcinoma in 11, adenoid cystic carcinoma in 4 and olfactory neuroblastoma in 2. The distribution of clinical stage by the AJCC system was 3 for stage II, 7 for III and 6 for IV. The five patients were treated with radiation alone and 12 patients were treated with surgery and postoperative radiation therapy. The range of total radiation dose delivered to the primary tumor was from 44 to 76 Gy (median 60 Gy). The follow-up period ranged from 3 to 173 months with median of 78 months. The overall 2 year survival rate and disease free survival rate was 76.4%. The 5 year and 10 year survival rate were 76.4% and 45.6% and the 5 year and 10 year disease free survival rate was 70.6%. The 5 year disease free survival rate by treatment modality was 91.6% for postoperative radiation group and 20% for radiation alone group, statistical significance was found by treatment modality ({rho} = 0.006). There were no differences in survival by pathology and stage. There were local failure in 5 patients (29%) but no distant failure and no severe complication required surgical intervention. Radiation therapy of sino-nasal cancer using partial attenuation filter was safe and effective. Combined modality with conservative surgery and radiation therapy was more advisable to achieve loco-regional control in sino-nasal cancer. Also we considered high precision radiation therapy with

  6. Occupational Therapy Use by Older Adults With Cancer

    OpenAIRE

    Pergolotti, Mackenzi; Cutchin, Malcolm P.; Weinberger, Morris; Meyer, Anne-Marie

    2014-01-01

    A retrospective cohort study of 27,131 older adults diagnosed with cancer between 2004 and 2007 found that survivors who used occupational therapy after diagnosis also had the highest levels of comorbidities.

  7. Age Disparity in Palliative Radiation Therapy Among Patients With Advanced Cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wong, Jonathan [University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu, Hawaii (United States); Xu, Beibei [Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Yeung, Heidi N.; Roeland, Eric J. [Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Division of Palliative Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Martinez, Maria Elena [Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Le, Quynh-Thu [Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University, Stanford, California (United States); Mell, Loren K. [Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Murphy, James D., E-mail: j2murphy@ucsd.edu [Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States)

    2014-09-01

    Purpose/Objective: Palliative radiation therapy represents an important treatment option among patients with advanced cancer, although research shows decreased use among older patients. This study evaluated age-related patterns of palliative radiation use among an elderly Medicare population. Methods and Materials: We identified 63,221 patients with metastatic lung, breast, prostate, or colorectal cancer diagnosed between 2000 and 2007 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked database. Receipt of palliative radiation therapy was extracted from Medicare claims. Multivariate Poisson regression analysis determined residual age-related disparity in the receipt of palliative radiation therapy after controlling for confounding covariates including age-related differences in patient and demographic covariates, length of life, and patient preferences for aggressive cancer therapy. Results: The use of radiation decreased steadily with increasing patient age. Forty-two percent of patients aged 66 to 69 received palliative radiation therapy. Rates of palliative radiation decreased to 38%, 32%, 24%, and 14% among patients aged 70 to 74, 75 to 79, 80 to 84, and over 85, respectively. Multivariate analysis found that confounding covariates attenuated these findings, although the decreased relative rate of palliative radiation therapy among the elderly remained clinically and statistically significant. On multivariate analysis, compared to patients 66 to 69 years old, those aged 70 to 74, 75 to 79, 80 to 84, and over 85 had a 7%, 15%, 25%, and 44% decreased rate of receiving palliative radiation, respectively (all P<.0001). Conclusions: Age disparity with palliative radiation therapy exists among older cancer patients. Further research should strive to identify barriers to palliative radiation among the elderly, and extra effort should be made to give older patients the opportunity to receive this quality of life-enhancing treatment at the end

  8. Nucleic acid aptamers: an emerging frontier in cancer therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Guizhi; Ye, Mao; Donovan, Michael J; Song, Erqun; Zhao, Zilong; Tan, Weihong

    2012-11-04

    The last two decades have witnessed the development and application of nucleic acid aptamers in a variety of fields, including target analysis, disease therapy, and molecular and cellular engineering. The efficient and widely applicable aptamer selection, reproducible chemical synthesis and modification, generally impressive target binding selectivity and affinity, relatively rapid tissue penetration, low immunogenicity, and rapid systemic clearance make aptamers ideal recognition elements for use as therapeutics or for in vivo delivery of therapeutics. In this feature article, we discuss the development and biomedical application of nucleic acid aptamers, with emphasis on cancer cell aptamer isolation, targeted cancer therapy, oncology biomarker identification and drug discovery.

  9. Molecular targeted therapies of aggressive thyroid cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silvia Martina eFerrari

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Differentiated thyroid carcinomas (DTC that arise from follicular cells account > 90% of thyroid cancer (TC [papillary thyroid cancer (PTC 90%, follicular thyroid cancer (FTC 10%], while medullary thyroid cancer (MTC accounts < 5%. Complete total thyroidectomy is the treatment of choice for PTC, FTC and MTC. Radioiodine is routinely recommended in high-risk patients and considered in intermediate risk DTC patients. DTC cancer cells, during tumor progression, may lose the iodide uptake ability, becoming resistant to radioiodine, with a significant worsening of the prognosis. The lack of specific and effective drugs for aggressive and metastatic DTC and MTC leads to additional efforts towards the development of new drugs.Several genetic alterations in different molecular pathways in TC have been shown in the last decades, associated with TC development and progression. Rearranged during transfection (RET/PTC gene rearrangements, RET mutations, BRAF mutations, RAS mutations, and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 angiogenesis pathways are some of the known pathways determinant in the development of TC. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs are small organic compounds inhibiting tyrosine kinases auto-phosphorylation and activation, most of them are multikinase inhibitors. TKIs act on the above-mentioned molecular pathways involved in growth, angiogenesis, local and distant spread of TC. TKIs are emerging as new therapies of aggressive TC, including DTC, MTC and anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC, being capable of inducing clinical responses and stabilization of disease. Vandetanib and cabozantinib have been approved for the treatment of MTC, while sorafenib and lenvatinib for DTC refractory to radioiodine. These drugs prolong median progression-free survival, but until now no significant increase has been observed on overall survival; side effects are common. New efforts are made to find new more effective and safe compounds, and to personalize

  10. Molecular biology of Homo sapiens: Abstracts of papers presented at the 51st Cold Spring Harbor symposium on quantitative biology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watson, J.D.; Siniscalco, M.

    1986-01-01

    This volume contains abstracts of papers presented at the 51st Cold Springs Harbor Symposium on Quantitative Biology. The topic for this meeting was the ''Molecular Biology of Homo sapiens.'' Sessions were entitled Human Gene Map, Human Cancer Genes, Genetic Diagnosis, Human Evolution, Drugs Made Off Human Genes, Receptors, and Gene Therapy. (DT)

  11. Diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer. Oncology overview

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1982-09-01

    Oncology Overviews are a service of the International Cancer Research Data Bank (ICRDB) Program of the National Cancer Institute, intended to facilitate and promote the exchange of information between cancer scientists by keeping them aware of literature related to their research being published by other laboratories throughout the world. Each Oncology Overview represents a survey of the literature associated with a selected area of cancer research. It contains abstracts of articles which have been selected and organized by researchers associated with the field. Contents: Radiological diagnosis of pancreatic cancer; Biopsy and cytology in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer; Pathology and morphology of pancreatic cancer; Staging and prognosis of pancreatic cancer; Biological and immunological markers in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer; Surgical treatment of pancreatic cancer; Drug therapy of pancreatic cancer; Radiation therapy of pancreatic cancer; Selected studies on the epidemiology of pancreatic cancer; Clinical correlates and syndromes associated with pancreatic neoplasia

  12. T2-weighted endorectal magnetic resonance imaging of prostate cancer after external beam radiation therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Westphalen, Antonio C.; Kurhanewicz, John; Cunha, Rui M.G.; Hsu, I-Chow; Kornak, John; Zhao, Shoujun; Coakley, Fergus V.

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: To retrospectively determine the accuracy of T2-weighted endorectal MR imaging in the detection of prostate cancer after external beam radiation therapy and to investigate the relationship between imaging accuracy and time since therapy. Materials and Methods: Institutional review board approval was obtained and the study was HIPPA compliant. We identified 59 patients who underwent 1.5 Tesla endorectal MR imaging of the prostate between 1999 and 2006 after definitive external beam radiation therapy for biopsy-proven prostate cancer. Two readers recorded the presence or absence of tumor on T2-weighted images. Logistic regression and Fisher's exact tests for 2x2 tables were used to determine the accuracy of imaging and investigate if accuracy differed between those imaged within 3 years of therapy (n = 25) and those imaged more than 3 years after therapy (n = 34). Transrectal biopsy was used as the standard of reference for the presence or absence of recurrent cancer. Results: Thirty-four of 59 patients (58%) had recurrent prostate cancer detected on biopsy. The overall accuracy of T2-weighted MR imaging in the detection cancer after external beam radiation therapy was 63% (37/59) for reader 1 and 71% for reader 2 (42/59). For both readers, logistic regression showed no difference in accuracy between those imaged within 3 years of therapy and those imaged more than 3 years after therapy (p = 0.86 for reader 1 and 0.44 for reader 2). Conclusion: T2-weighted endorectal MR imaging has low accuracy in the detection of prostate cancer after external beam radiation therapy, irrespective of the time since therapy. (author)

  13. SU-E-I-39: Molecular Image Guided Cancer Stem Cells Therapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Abdollahi, H

    2014-06-01

    Purpose: Cancer stem cells resistance to radiation is a problematic issue that has caused a big fail in cancer treatment. Methods: As a primary work, molecular imaging can indicate the main mechanisms of radiation resistance of cancer stem cells. By developing and commissioning new probes and nanomolecules and biomarkers, radiation scientist will able to identify the essential pathways of radiation resistance of cancer stem cells. As the second solution, molecular imaging is a best way to find biological target volume and delineate cancer stem cell tissues. In the other hand, by molecular imaging techniques one can image the treatment response in tumor and also in normal tissue. In this issue, the response of cancer stem cells to radiation during therapy course can be imaged, also the main mechanisms of radiation resistance and finding the best radiation modifiers (sensitizers) can be achieved by molecular imaging modalities. In adaptive radiotherapy the molecular imaging plays a vital role to have higher tumor control probability by delivering high radiation doses to cancer stem cells in any time of treatment. The outcome of a feasible treatment is dependent to high cancer stem cells response to radiation and removing all of which, so a good imaging modality can show this issue and preventing of tumor recurrence and metastasis. Results: Our results are dependent to use of molecular imaging as a new modality in the clinic. We propose molecular imaging as a new radiobiological technique to solve radiation therapy problems due to cancer stem cells. Conclusion: Molecular imaging guided cancer stem cell diagnosis and therapy is a new approach in the field of cancer treatment. This new radiobiological imaging technique should be developed in all clinics as a feasible tool that is more biological than physical imaging.

  14. SU-E-I-39: Molecular Image Guided Cancer Stem Cells Therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdollahi, H

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: Cancer stem cells resistance to radiation is a problematic issue that has caused a big fail in cancer treatment. Methods: As a primary work, molecular imaging can indicate the main mechanisms of radiation resistance of cancer stem cells. By developing and commissioning new probes and nanomolecules and biomarkers, radiation scientist will able to identify the essential pathways of radiation resistance of cancer stem cells. As the second solution, molecular imaging is a best way to find biological target volume and delineate cancer stem cell tissues. In the other hand, by molecular imaging techniques one can image the treatment response in tumor and also in normal tissue. In this issue, the response of cancer stem cells to radiation during therapy course can be imaged, also the main mechanisms of radiation resistance and finding the best radiation modifiers (sensitizers) can be achieved by molecular imaging modalities. In adaptive radiotherapy the molecular imaging plays a vital role to have higher tumor control probability by delivering high radiation doses to cancer stem cells in any time of treatment. The outcome of a feasible treatment is dependent to high cancer stem cells response to radiation and removing all of which, so a good imaging modality can show this issue and preventing of tumor recurrence and metastasis. Results: Our results are dependent to use of molecular imaging as a new modality in the clinic. We propose molecular imaging as a new radiobiological technique to solve radiation therapy problems due to cancer stem cells. Conclusion: Molecular imaging guided cancer stem cell diagnosis and therapy is a new approach in the field of cancer treatment. This new radiobiological imaging technique should be developed in all clinics as a feasible tool that is more biological than physical imaging

  15. Early experience of proton beam therapy combined with chemotherapy for locally advanced oropharyngeal cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ishikawa, Youjirou; Nakamura, Tatsuya; Takada, Akinori; Takayama, Kanako; Makita, Chiyoko; Suzuki, Motohisa; Azami, Yusuke; Kikuchi, Yasuhiro; Fuwa, Nobukazu

    2013-01-01

    Between 2009 and 2012, 10 patients with advanced oropharyngeal cancer underwent proton therapy combined with chemotherapy. The initial results of this therapy were 8 complete response (CR) and 2 partial response (PR), local recurrence was detected 1 patient. Proton beam therapy combined with chemotherapy is thought to be an effective treatment for locally advanced oropharyngeal cancer. (author)

  16. Goat red blood cells as precursor for iron oxide nanocrystal synthesis to develop nuclear targeted lung cancer therapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sreevani, Vellingiri; Shanthi, Krishnamurthy; Kannan, Soundarapandian, E-mail: sk_protein@buc.edu.in

    2013-09-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Molecular approach of synthesis of Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}-NC using goat blood as a bio-precursor. • The method is simple, efficient and environment friendly. • Synthesized nanocrystals were characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, XRD, SEM, TEM, DLS and EDS. • Nanocrystals exhibited potent cytotoxicity against A549 cancer cell. • Nuclear targeting with expression of caspase-3, caspase-7 and Bcl-2 in A549 cancer cells. - Abstract: In this study, we synthesised iron oxide nanocrystals (Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}-NC) from goat blood (bio-precursor) using red blood cells (RBC) lysis method (a molecular level approach) for the first time. The formation of Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}-NC was achieved through a single-phase chemical reduction method. The size distribution of Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}-NC falls between 20–30 nm for pellet and 100–200 nm for lysate and were found to be crystalline. Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}-NC demonstrated significant cytotoxicity on A549. We report the direct visualization of interactions between Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}-NC and the cancer cell nucleus. The active transport of Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}-NC to the nucleus induces major changes to nuclear phenotype via nuclear envelope invaginations. We further examined the root cause for the involvement of Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}-NC on the expression of caspase-3, caspase-7 and Bcl-2 in A549 cancer cells. This functional proteomic analysis clearly implies that the lung cancer cell proliferation is perfectly targeted by the biosynthesised Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}-NC which could provide new insight for nuclear-targeted cancer therapy.

  17. Breast Cancer Screening in Women with Hereditary or Familial Risk

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    S. Saadatmand (Sepideh)

    2015-01-01

    markdownabstract__Abstract__ We estimated influence of tumor size and number of positive lymph nodes at breast cancer detection on survival in the current era of new system (neo) adjuvant therapies. We showed that early breast cancer detection remains of great influence. Relative 5-year survival

  18. Dysphagia after sequential chemoradiation therapy for advanced head and neck cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goguen, Laura A; Posner, Marshall R; Norris, Charles M; Tishler, Roy B; Wirth, Lori J; Annino, Donald J; Gagne, Adele; Sullivan, Christopher A; Sammartino, Daniel E; Haddad, Robert I

    2006-06-01

    Assess impact of sequential chemoradiation therapy (SCRT) for advanced head and neck cancer (HNCA) on swallowing, nutrition, and quality of life. Prospective cohort study of 59 patients undergoing SCRT for advanced head and neck cancer. Follow-up median was 47.5 months. Regional Cancer Center. Median time to gastrostomy tube removal was 21 weeks. Eighteen of 23 patients who underwent modified barium swallow demonstrated aspiration; none developed pneumonia. Six of 7 with pharyngoesophageal stricture underwent successful dilatation. Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Head and Neck Scale questionnaires at median 6 months after treatment revealed "somewhat" satisfaction with swallowing. At the time of analysis, 97% have the gastronomy tube removed and take soft/regular diet. Early after treatment dysphagia adversely affected weight, modified barium swallow results, and quality of life. Diligent swallow therapy, and dilation as needed, allowed nearly all patients to have their gastronomy tubes removed and return to a soft/regular diet. Dysphagia is significant after SCRT but generally slowly recovers 6 to 12 months after SCRT. C-4.

  19. Hormonal therapy with external radiation therapy for metastatic spinal cord compression from newly diagnosed prostate cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kato, So; Hozumi, Takahiro; Yamakawa, Kiyofumi; Higashikawa, Akiro; Goto, Takahiro; Shinohara, Mitsuru; Kondo, Taiji

    2013-01-01

    Although hormonal therapy is effective for treatment of prostate cancer, its effect in the treatment of metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC) has not been established. The objective of this study was to clarify the efficacy of conservative treatment of MSCC-induced paralysis resulting from prostate cancer for patients without a previous treatment history. We reviewed data from 38 patients with MSCC-induced paralysis from newly diagnosed prostate cancer who presented to our service between 1984 and 2010. Conservative treatment consisted of hormonal therapy with external radiation therapy (ERT). Patient demographic data, treatment details, involved spine MRI images, complications, and the course of neurologic recovery were investigated. Twenty-five patients were treated conservatively. Mean follow-up period was 36.8 months. Sixteen patients (two with Frankel B, 14 with Frankel C) were unable to walk at initial presentation. After initiating conservative treatment, 75% (12 of 16) of these patients regained the ability to walk within 1 month, 88% (14 in 16) did so within 3 months, and all non-ambulatory patients did so within 6 months. No one had morbid complications. Four patients who did not regain the ability to walk at 1 month were found to have progressed to paraplegia rapidly, and tended to have severe compression as visualized on MRI, with a delay in the start of treatment in comparison with those who did so within 1 month (21.0 vs. 7.8 days). Hormonal therapy associated with ERT is an important option for treatment of MSCC resulting from newly diagnosed prostate cancer. (author)

  20. Effects of clusterin over-expression on metastatic progression and therapy in breast cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chatterjee Namita

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Clusterin is a secreted glycoprotein that is upregulated in a variety of cell lines in response to stress, and enhances cell survival. A second nuclear isoform of clusterin that is associated with cell death has also been identified. The aim of this study was to determine the role(s of the secretory isoform in breast tumor progression and metastasis. Methods To investigate the role of secretory clusterin in the biology of breast cancer tumor growth and resistance to therapy we have engineered an MCF-7 cell line (MCF-7CLU that over-expresses clusterin. We have measured the in vitro effects of clusterin over-expression on cell cycle, cell death, and sensitivity to TNFalpha and tamoxifen. Using an orthotopic model of breast cancer, we have also determined the effects of over-expression of clusterin on tumor growth and metastatic progression. Results In vitro, over-expression of secretory clusterin alters the cell cycle kinetics and decreases the rate of cell death, resulting in the enhancement of cell growth. Over-expression of secretory clusterin also blocks the TNFalpha-mediated induction of p21 and abrogates the cleavage of Bax to t-Bax, rendering the MCF-7CLU cells significantly more resistant to the cytokine than the parental cells. Orthotopic primary tumors derived from MCF-7CLU cells grow significantly more rapidly than tumors derived from parental MCF-7 cells and, unlike the parental cells, metastasize frequently to the lungs. Conclusions These data suggest that secretory clusterin, which is frequently up-regulated in breast cancers by common therapies, including anti-estrogens, may play a significant role in tumor growth, metastatic progression and subsequent drug resistance in surviving cells.

  1. Liver cancer and selective internal radiation therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sutton, C.

    2002-01-01

    Liver cancer is the biggest cancer-related killer of adults in the world. Liver cancer can be considered as two types: primary and secondary (metastatic). Selective Internal Radiation Therapy (SIRT) is a revolutionary treatment for advanced liver cancer that utilises new technologies designed to deliver radiation directly to the site of tumours. SIRT, on the other hand, involves the delivery of millions of microscopic radioactive spheres called SIR-Spheres directly to the site of the liver tumour/s, where they selectively irradiate the tumours. The anti-cancer effect is concentrated in the liver and there is little effect on cancer at other sites such as the lungs or bones. The SIR-Spheres are delivered through a catheter placed in the femoral artery of the upper thigh and threaded through the hepatic artery (the major blood vessel of the liver) to the site of the tumour. The microscopic spheres, each approximately 35 microns (the size of four red blood cells or one-third the diameter of a strand of hair), are bonded to yttrium-90 (Y-90), a pure beta emitter with a physical half-life of 64.1 hours (about 2.67 days). The microspheres are trapped in the tumour's vascular bed, where they destroy the tumour from inside. The average range of the radiation is only 2.5 mm, so it is wholly contained within the patient's body; after 14 days, only 2.5 percent of the radioactive activity remains. The microspheres are suspended in water for injection. The vials are shipped in lead shields for radiation protection. Treatment with SIR-Spheres is generally not regarded as a cure, but has been shown to shrink the cancer more than chemotherapy alone. This can increase life expectancy and improve quality of life. On occasion, patients treated with SIR-Spheres have had such marked shrinkage of the liver cancer that the cancer can be surgically removed at a later date. This has resulted in a long-term cure for some patients. SIRTeX Medical Limited has developed three separate cancer

  2. Proton Beam Therapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Current Clinical Evidence and Future Directions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berman, Abigail T.; James, Sara St.; Rengan, Ramesh

    2015-01-01

    Lung cancer is the leading cancer cause of death in the United States. Radiotherapy is an essential component of the definitive treatment of early-stage and locally-advanced lung cancer, and the palliative treatment of metastatic lung cancer. Proton beam therapy (PBT), through its characteristic Bragg peak, has the potential to decrease the toxicity of radiotherapy, and, subsequently improve the therapeutic ratio. Herein, we provide a primer on the physics of proton beam therapy for lung cancer, present the existing data in early-stage and locally-advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), as well as in special situations such as re-irradiation and post-operative radiation therapy. We then present the technical challenges, such as anatomic changes and motion management, and future directions for PBT in lung cancer, including pencil beam scanning

  3. Once-Daily Radiation Therapy for Inflammatory Breast Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brown, Lindsay; Harmsen, William; Blanchard, Miran; Goetz, Matthew; Jakub, James; Mutter, Robert; Petersen, Ivy; Rooney, Jessica; Stauder, Michael; Yan, Elizabeth; Laack, Nadia

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rare and aggressive breast cancer variant treated with multimodality therapy. A variety of approaches intended to escalate the intensity and efficacy of radiation therapy have been reported, including twice-daily radiation therapy, dose escalation, and aggressive use of bolus. Herein, we examine our outcomes for patients treated with once-daily radiation therapy with aggressive bolus utilization, focusing on treatment technique. Methods and Materials: A retrospective review of patients with nonmetastatic IBC treated from January 1, 2000, through December 31, 2010, was performed. Locoregional control (LRC), disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS) and predictors thereof were assessed. Results: Fifty-two women with IBC were identified, 49 (94%) of whom were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. All underwent mastectomy followed by adjuvant radiation therapy. Radiation was delivered in once-daily fractions of 1.8 to 2.25 Gy (median, 2 Gy). Patients were typically treated with daily 1-cm bolus throughout treatment, and 33 (63%) received a subsequent boost to the mastectomy scar. Five-year Kaplan Meier survival estimates for LRC, DFS, and OS were 81%, 56%, and 64%, respectively. Locoregional recurrence was associated with poorer OS (P<.001; hazard ratio [HR], 4.1). Extracapsular extension was associated with worse LRC (P=.02), DFS (P=.007), and OS (P=.002). Age greater than 50 years was associated with better DFS (P=.03). Pathologic complete response was associated with a trend toward improved LRC (P=.06). Conclusions: Once-daily radiation therapy with aggressive use of bolus for IBC results in outcomes consistent with previous reports using various intensified radiation therapy regimens. LRC remains a challenge despite modern systemic therapy. Extracapsular extension, age ≤50 years, and lack of complete response to chemotherapy appear to be associated with worse outcomes. Novel strategies are needed in IBC

  4. Chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy in pancreatic cancer: from research to practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jindal, Vishal; Arora, Ena; Masab, Muhammad; Gupta, Sorab

    2018-05-04

    Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy is genetically engineered tumor antigen-specific anticancer immunotherapy, which after showing great success in hematological malignancies is currently being tried in advanced solid tumors like pancreatic cancer. Immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and dense fibrous stroma are some of the limitation in the success of this novel therapy. However, genetic modifications and combination therapy is the topic of the research to improve its efficacy. In this article, we summarize the current state of knowledge, limitations, and future prospects for CAR T cell therapy in pancreatic cancer.

  5. Optimal systemic therapy for premenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jankowitz, Rachel C; McGuire, Kandace P; Davidson, Nancy E

    2013-08-01

    Although systemic therapy is one of the cornerstones of therapy for premenopausal women with early stage breast cancer, there remain many unknowns regarding its optimal use. By accident of clinical trial design, much clinical investigation in premenopausal women has focused on chemotherapy. More recently the value of endocrine therapy (tamoxifen and ovarian suppression/ablation via surgery, LHRH agonists, or chemotherapy-induced menopause) has become apparent, and some form of endocrine therapy is viewed as standard for virtually all premenopausal women with early stage invasive breast cancer that expresses estrogen and/or progesterone receptor. Critical open questions include type and duration of endocrine therapy and the development of prognostic/predictive markers to help identify patients who are likely to benefit from chemotherapy in addition to endocrine therapy. For some years, five years of tamoxifen has been viewed as the standard endocrine therapy for premenopausal hormone-responsive breast cancer, although the ATLAS trial suggests that an additional five years of tamoxifen can be considered. The MA17 trial also suggests that an additional five years of an aromatase inhibitor can be considered for women who become postmenopausal during tamoxifen therapy. Information about the value of ovarian suppression continues to emerge, most recently with the demonstration of excellent outcome with goserelin plus tamoxifen in the ABCSG12 trial. The SOFT and TEXT trials, whose accrual is now complete, should help to define optimal endocrine therapy. In addition, use of the 21-gene recurrence score assay may help to delineate the additional value of chemotherapy for patients with node-negative breast cancer, and its utility in the setting of women with 1-3 positive lymph nodes is under study in the RxPONDER trial. Nonetheless, the need for other predictive biomarkers to select appropriate therapy remains real. Finally, attention to long term benefits and side effects

  6. Oral care of the cancer patient receiving radiation therapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Holtzhausen, T [Medical Univ. of Southern Africa, Pretoria (South Africa). Dept. of Community Dentistry

    1982-07-01

    Radiation therapy is frequently being used for the patient with oral cancer. The survival rate is increasing, due to more effective treatment technique. The question of whether any teeth should be extracted, the mode of therapy and the side effects of radiation like Xerostomia, caries, stomatitis, trismus and osteo-radionecrosis and also post radiation care are discussed.

  7. Potential of Epigenetic Therapies in Non-cancerous Conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raymond eYung

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available There has been an explosion of knowledge in the epigenetics field in the past 20 years. The first epigenetic therapies have arrived in the clinic for cancer treatments. In contrast, much of the promise of epigenetic therapies for non-cancerous conditions remains in the laboratories. The current review will focus on the recent progress that has been made in understanding the pathogenic role of epigenetics in immune and inflammatory conditions, and how the knowledge may provide much needed new therapeutic targets for many autoimmune diseases. Dietary factors are increasingly recognized as potential modifiers of epigenetic marks that can influence health and diseases across generations. The current epigenomics revolution will almost certainly complement the explosion of personal genetics medicine to help guide treatment decisions and disease risk stratification.

  8. Targeted therapy in lung and breast cancer: a big deal

    OpenAIRE

    Caffarra, Cristina

    2015-01-01

    Great strides have been done in treating cancer. For decades, the hallmark of medical treatment for cancer has been intravenous cytotoxic chemotherapy which targets all dividing cells. In the last ten years the identification of different driver oncogenic mutations has allowed the development of targeted drugs. Targeted cancer therapies are based on the use of drugs that block the growth and spread of cancer by interfering with specific molecules involved in tumor growth and progression. The ...

  9. Cancer rehabilitation with a focus on evidence-based outpatient physical and occupational therapy interventions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silver, Julie K; Gilchrist, Laura S

    2011-05-01

    Cancer rehabilitation is an important part of survivorship as a distinct phase of treatment. Although cancer rehabilitation may involve many disciplines, this article specifically covers evidence-based treatment in physical and occupational therapy. Patients may need physical and occupational therapy services for a variety of cancer-related or cancer-treatment-related problems, including pain, fatigue, deconditioning, and difficulty with gait. They may also have problems resuming their previous level of function, which can impact on activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, return to previous home and community activity levels, and return to work. This review discusses the role of physical and occupational therapy in helping cancer patients improve pain and musculoskeletal issues, deconditioning and endurance effects, fatigue, balance and falls, and lymphedema and psychosocial problems.

  10. Cf-252 neutron brachytherapy: an advance for bulky localized cancer therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maruyama, Y.

    1984-01-01

    The physical and radiobiogical basis as well as the rationale for neutron brachytherapy, using Cf-252, in human cancer therapy is reviewed. Cf-252 brachytherapy represents an economical and effective form of neutron radiotherapy that is readily and safely applied clinically. It can be used anywhere in the world without unusual personnel, equipment or facilities, or prohibitive expenses or maintenance costs. Used on bulky head and neck, thoracic, abdominal, pelvic, brain and appendage cancers, it overcomes hypoxic radioresistance and produces remarkable rates of tumor clearance. It is easily combined with photon radiotherapy and in proper schedules and doses, it can control advanced but still localized regional cancers to produce tumor cure. It will clear the local manifestations of recurrent or metastatic tumors or advanced stages of primary tumors and therefore in conjunction with other adjuvant therapies offers much more effective tumor control and palliation than present conventional therapy. (Auth.)

  11. Magnetic nanoparticles for cancer therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bakuzis, Andris F.

    2014-01-01

    Full text: Magnetic nanoparticles have been used in several biomedical applications, spanning from cell separation, early diagnosis of metastasis to even the treatment of cancer via magnetic hyperthermia (MH). This last technique consists in the increase of temperature of nanoparticles when their magnetic moments interact with a magnetic alternating field. This effect has been suggested as an innovative therapy to cancer treatment, due to the delivery of heat or therapeutic agents, such as drugs, genes, and others. In addition, several clinical studies has demonstrated synergetic effects between hyperthermia and radiotherapy [1]. This indicates a great therapeutic potential for this noninvasive and targeted technique. In this talk we will discuss results from the literature and from our own group in the treatment of cancer via magnetic hyperthermia. Several types of magnetic nanoparticles suggested for this application will be discussed, as well as the historical evolution of this procedure, which although suggested in the late 50' only recently was approved in Europe for treatment of humans with brain tumors. (author) [pt

  12. Engineering Exosomes for Cancer Therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilligan, Katie E; Dwyer, Róisín M

    2017-05-24

    There remains an urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies to treat metastatic cancer, which results in over 8 million deaths annually worldwide. Following secretion, exosomes are naturally taken up by cells, and capable of the stable transfer of drugs, therapeutic microRNAs and proteins. As knowledge of the biogenesis, release and uptake of exosomes continues to evolve, and thus also has interest in these extracellular vesicles as potential tumor-targeted vehicles for cancer therapy. The ability to engineer exosome content and migratory itinerary holds tremendous promise. Studies to date have employed viral and non-viral methods to engineer the parent cells to secrete modified exosomes, or alternatively, to directly manipulate exosome content following secretion. The majority of studies have demonstrated promising results, with decreased tumor cell invasion, migration and proliferation, along with enhanced immune response, cell death, and sensitivity to chemotherapy observed. The studies outlined in this review highlight the exciting potential for exosomes as therapeutic vehicles for cancer treatment. Successful implementation in the clinical setting will be dependent upon establishment of rigorous standards for exosome manipulation, isolation, and characterisation.

  13. Recent Advances in Cancer Therapy Based on Dual Mode Gold Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ellas Spyratou

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Many tumor-targeted strategies have been used worldwide to limit the side effects and improve the effectiveness of therapies, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy (RT, etc. Biophotonic therapy modalities comprise very promising alternative techniques for cancer treatment with minimal invasiveness and side-effects. These modalities use light e.g., laser irradiation in an extracorporeal or intravenous mode to activate photosensitizer agents with selectivity in the target tissue. Photothermal therapy (PTT is a minimally invasive technique for cancer treatment which uses laser-activated photoabsorbers to convert photon energy into heat sufficient to induce cells destruction via apoptosis, necroptosis and/or necrosis. During the last decade, PTT has attracted an increased interest since the therapy can be combined with customized functionalized nanoparticles (NPs. Recent advances in nanotechnology have given rise to generation of various types of NPs, like gold NPs (AuNPs, designed to act both as radiosensitizers and photothermal sensitizing agents due to their unique optical and electrical properties i.e., functioning in dual mode. Functionalized AuNPS can be employed in combination with non-ionizing and ionizing radiation to significantly improve the efficacy of cancer treatment while at the same time sparing normal tissues. Here, we first provide an overview of the use of NPs for cancer therapy. Then we review many recent advances on the use of gold NPs in PTT, RT and PTT/RT based on different types of AuNPs, irradiation conditions and protocols. We refer to the interaction mechanisms of AuNPs with cancer cells via the effects of non-ionizing and ionizing radiations and we provide recent existing experimental data as a baseline for the design of optimized protocols in PTT, RT and PTT/RT combined treatment.

  14. MicroRNAs and Chinese Medicinal Herbs: New Possibilities in Cancer Therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hong, Ming; Wang, Ning; Tan, Hor Yue; Tsao, Sai-Wah; Feng, Yibin

    2015-01-01

    In recent decades Chinese medicine has been used worldwide as a complementary and alternative medicine to treat cancer. Plenty of studies have shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) play fundamental roles in many pathological processes, including cancer, while the anti-cancer mechanisms of Chinese medicinal herbs targeting miRNAs also have been extensively explored. Our previous studies and those of others on Chinese medicinal herbs and miRNAs in various cancer models have provided a possibility of new cancer therapies, for example, up-regulating the expression of miR-23a may activate the positive regulatory network of p53 and miR-23a involved in the mechanism underlying the anti-tumor effect of berberine in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this review, we survey the role of Chinese medicinal herbal products in regulating miRNAs in cancer and the use of mediating miRNAs for cancer treatment. In addition, the controversial roles of herb-derived exogenous miRNAs in cancer treatment are also discussed. It is expected that targeting miRNAs would provide a novel therapeutic approach in cancer therapy by improving overall response and survival outcomes in cancer treatment, especially when combined with conventional therapeutics and Chinese medicinal herbal products

  15. MicroRNAs and Chinese Medicinal Herbs: New Possibilities in Cancer Therapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hong, Ming; Wang, Ning; Tan, Hor Yue [School of Chinese Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (China); Tsao, Sai-Wah [Department of Anatomy, Li KaShing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (China); Feng, Yibin, E-mail: yfeng@hku.hk [School of Chinese Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (China)

    2015-08-24

    In recent decades Chinese medicine has been used worldwide as a complementary and alternative medicine to treat cancer. Plenty of studies have shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) play fundamental roles in many pathological processes, including cancer, while the anti-cancer mechanisms of Chinese medicinal herbs targeting miRNAs also have been extensively explored. Our previous studies and those of others on Chinese medicinal herbs and miRNAs in various cancer models have provided a possibility of new cancer therapies, for example, up-regulating the expression of miR-23a may activate the positive regulatory network of p53 and miR-23a involved in the mechanism underlying the anti-tumor effect of berberine in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this review, we survey the role of Chinese medicinal herbal products in regulating miRNAs in cancer and the use of mediating miRNAs for cancer treatment. In addition, the controversial roles of herb-derived exogenous miRNAs in cancer treatment are also discussed. It is expected that targeting miRNAs would provide a novel therapeutic approach in cancer therapy by improving overall response and survival outcomes in cancer treatment, especially when combined with conventional therapeutics and Chinese medicinal herbal products.

  16. Assessing The Impact Of Cancer Therapies On Ovarian Reserve

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gracia, Clarisa R.; Sammel, Mary D.; Freeman, Ellen; Prewitt, Maureen; Carlson, Claire; Ray, Anushree; Vance, Ashley; Ginsberg, Jill P.

    2013-01-01

    Objective To determine whether measures of ovarian reserve differ between females exposed to cancer therapies in a dose-dependent manner as compared to healthy controls of similar age and late-reproductive age. Design Cross-sectional analysis of data from a prospective cohort study Setting University Medical Center Patients 71 cancer survivors age 15-39; 67 healthy, similarly aged unexposed subjects; 69 regularly menstruating women of late-reproductive age (40-52 years). Interventions: None Main Outcome measures Early follicular phase hormones (FSH, Estradiol, Inhibin B, AMH) and ovarian ultrasound measurements (ovarian volume and Antral Follicle Counts) were compared using multivariable linear regression. Results In adjusted models, FSH, AMH and AFC differed between exposed vs. unexposed (FSH 11.12mIU/ml vs. 7.25mIU/ml, p=0.001; AMH 0.81ng/ml vs. 2.85ng/ml, pscore was associated with increased levels of FSH (p= 0.016) and decreased levels of AMH (p=0.003). Exposure to pelvic radiation was associated with impairment in FSH, AMH, AFC and ovarian volume. AMH was similar in women previously exposed to high-dose cancer therapy and 40-42 year old controls. Conclusions Measures of ovarian reserve are impaired in a dose-dependent manner among cancer survivors compared to unexposed females of similar age. Reproductive hormone levels in menstruating survivors exposed to high-dose therapy are similar to late-reproductive women. The predictive value of measures for pregnancy and menopause must be studied. PMID:22137491

  17. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) with endoscopic ultrasound for the treatment of esophageal cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woodward, Timothy A.; Wolfsen, Herbert C.

    2000-05-01

    In 1995, PDT was approved for palliative use in patients with esophageal cancer. We report our experience using PDT to treat esophageal cancer patients previously treated with combination chemotherapy and radiation therapy. In our series, nine patients referred for PDT with persistent esophageal cancer after chemo-radiation therapy. We found: (1) All patients were men with a mean age of 63 years and eight out of nine had adenocarcinoma with Barrett's esophagus; (2) All patients required endoscopic dilation after PDT; (3) At a mean follow up of 4 months, two T2N0 patients had no demonstrable tumor and all three T3N0 patients had greater than 50% tumor reduction (the partially responsive T3N0 patients will be offered repeat PDT); (4) Patients with metastatic disease (T3N1 or M1) had effective dysphagia palliation. Thus, PDT is safe and effective in ablating all or most tumor in patients with persistent esophageal cancer after chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

  18. Singapore Cancer Network (SCAN) Guidelines for Systemic Therapy of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-10-01

    The SCAN pancreatic cancer workgroup aimed to develop Singapore Cancer Network (SCAN) clinical practice guidelines for systemic therapy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma in Singapore. The workgroup utilised a modified ADAPTE process to calibrate high quality international evidence-based clinical practice guidelines to our local setting. Five international guidelines were evaluated- those developed by the National Cancer Comprehensive Network (2014), the European Society of Medical Oncology (2012), Cancer Care Ontario (2013), the Japan Pancreas Society (2013) and the British Society of Gastroenterology, Pancreatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland (2005). Recommendations on the management of resected, borderline resectable, locally advanced and metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma were developed. These adapted guidelines form the SCAN Guidelines for systemic therapy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma in Singapore.

  19. Proceedings of the 3. Muenster symposium on late effects after tumor therapy in childhood and adolescence. Abstracts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Willich, Normann; Boelling, Tobias

    2009-01-01

    The volume on the 3rd Muenster Symposion on late effects after tumor therapy in childhood and adolescence contains 7 contributions: Evaluation of side effects after radiotherapy in childhood and adolescence; from retrospective case reports to a perspective, multicentric and transnational approach; late effects surveillance system after childhood cancer in Germany, Austria and parts of Switzerland - update 2009; second malignant neoplasm after childhood cancer in Germany - results from the long-term follow-up of the German childhood cancer registry; secondary neoplasm after Wilm's tumor in Germany; second cancer after total-body irradiation (TBI) in childhood; late toxicity in children undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with TBI-containing conditioning regimens for hematological malignancies; radiation toxicity following busulfan/melphalan high-dose chemotherapy in the EURO-EWING-99-trials: review of GPOH data

  20. Proceedings of the 3. Muenster symposium on late effects after tumor therapy in childhood and adolescence. Abstracts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Willich, Normann; Boelling, Tobias (eds.) [Univ. Hospital Muenster (Germany). Dept. of Radiotherapy

    2009-08-15

    The volume on the 3rd Muenster Symposion on late effects after tumor therapy in childhood and adolescence contains 7 contributions: Evaluation of side effects after radiotherapy in childhood and adolescence; from retrospective case reports to a perspective, multicentric and transnational approach; late effects surveillance system after childhood cancer in Germany, Austria and parts of Switzerland - update 2009; second malignant neoplasm after childhood cancer in Germany - results from the long-term follow-up of the German childhood cancer registry; secondary neoplasm after Wilm's tumor in Germany; second cancer after total-body irradiation (TBI) in childhood; late toxicity in children undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with TBI-containing conditioning regimens for hematological malignancies; radiation toxicity following busulfan/melphalan high-dose chemotherapy in the EURO-EWING-99-trials: review of GPOH data.

  1. Hormone Replacement Therapy and Colorectal Cancer Incidence and Mortality in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Symer, Matthew M; Wong, Natalie Z; Abelson, Jonathan S; Milsom, Jeffrey W; Yeo, Heather L

    2018-06-01

    Hormone replacement therapy has been shown to reduce colorectal cancer incidence, but its effect on colorectal cancer mortality is controversial. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of hormone replacement therapy on survival from colorectal cancer. We performed a secondary analysis of data from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial, a large multicenter randomized trial run from 1993 to 2001, with follow-up data recently becoming mature. Participants were women aged 55 to 74 years, without recent colonoscopy. Data from the trial were analyzed to evaluate colorectal cancer incidence, disease-specific mortality, and all-cause mortality based on subjects' use of hormone replacement therapy at the time of randomization: never, current, or former users. A total of 75,587 women with 912 (1.21%) incident colorectal cancers and 239 associated deaths were analyzed, with median follow-up of 11.9 years. Overall, 88.6% were non-Hispanic white, and colorectal cancer incidence in current users compared to never-users was lower (hazard ratio [HR], 0.81; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.69-0.94; P = .005), as was death from colorectal cancer (HR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.47-0.85; P = .002) and all-cause mortality (HR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.72-0.80; P colorectal cancer incidence and improved colorectal cancer-specific survival, as well as all-cause mortality. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. State of the art of radiation therapy for esophageal cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Itasaka, Satoshi

    2014-01-01

    Radiation therapy has a critical role in the treatment of esophageal cancer. To improve the treatment outcome of radiotherapy, not only strengthening the treatment intensity but also decreasing the long term toxicity is needed. To reduce the long term cardiopulmonary toxicity of chemoradiation, JCOG is now running a clinical trial which combines three dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) and mild irradiation dose. New techniques of radiation therapy, such as intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) or particle therapy are also promising in both treatment intensity and decreased toxicity. (author)

  3. Proton Beam Therapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Current Clinical Evidence and Future Directions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abigail T. Berman

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Lung cancer is the leading cancer cause of death in the United States. Radiotherapy is an essential component of the definitive treatment of early-stage and locally-advanced lung cancer, and the palliative treatment of metastatic lung cancer. Proton beam therapy (PBT, through its characteristic Bragg peak, has the potential to decrease the toxicity of radiotherapy, and, subsequently improve the therapeutic ratio. Herein, we provide a primer on the physics of proton beam therapy for lung cancer, present the existing data in early-stage and locally-advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC, as well as in special situations such as re-irradiation and post-operative radiation therapy. We then present the technical challenges, such as anatomic changes and motion management, and future directions for PBT in lung cancer, including pencil beam scanning.

  4. PACT - IAEA Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samiei, M.

    2005-01-01

    Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy (PACT) is the IAEA's response to the cancer challenge in developing countries. The long-term objective of PACT is Sustainable National Capacity for Cancer Care. The vision of PACT is to (a) build sustainable national cancer care infrastructure and capacity towards eventual self-sufficiency through South-South and North-South partnerships, (b) systematically plan and build capacity to diagnose and treat all patients with radiosensitive cancers, (c) focus on eliminating all cancer morbidity and mortality from unmet treatment needs among patients for whom radiotherapy is most effective and (d) deploy consistent and predictable resources and processes including investments from private donors to meet these objectives over a 5 to 10 year strategy. After the IAEA Board approval in 2004 the PACT office established early 2005. Engaged substantial steps followed to strategize and operationlise PACT. Public awareness campaign was initiated trough the public service announcements, web site development and national outreach seminars. Engagement with WHO, IARC, PAHO, ACS and others followed. The WHA resolution in May 2005 welcomes PACT and asks for a possible joint WHO-IAEA programme. PACT is being operationalised using specific mechanisms such as 'imPACT' (integrated missions of PACT). The 'imPACT' review will assist governments to review, analyse and formulate National Cancer Strategies and Action Plans for capacity building from prevention through palliation. It will also enable institutions to build and develop human resources and plans for capacity in radiation and nuclear oncology. The results of 'imPACT' will enable governments to work with partners, focus on centres of competence/reference to deliver quality cancer care, raise public awareness of cancer prevention, diagnosis and therapy and apply best practices, expand and continue professional development. The expected outcome will be integrated national strategies, action plans

  5. Proposing the lymphatic target volume for elective radiation therapy for pancreatic cancer: a pooled analysis of clinical evidence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lu Jiade J

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Radiation therapy is an important cancer treatment modality in both adjuvant and definitive setting, however, the use of radiation therapy for elective treatment of regional lymph nodes is controversial for pancreatic cancer. No consensus on proper selection and delineation of subclinical lymph nodal areas in adjuvant or definitive radiation therapy has been suggested either conclusively or proposed for further investigation. This analysis aims to study the pattern of lymph node metastasis through a pooled analysis of published results after radical tumor and lymph nodal resection with histological study in pancreatic cancer. Methods Literature search using electronic databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CANCERLIT from January 1970 to June 2009 was performed, supplemented by review of references. Eighteen original researches and a total of 5954 pancreatic cancer patients underwent radical surgical resection were included in this analysis. The probability of metastasis in regional lymph nodal stations (using Japan Pancreas Society [JPS] Classification was calculated and analyzed based on the location and other characteristics of the primary disease. Results Commonly involved nodal regions in patients with pancreatic head tumor include lymph nodes around the common hepatic artery (Group 8, 9.79%, posterior pancreaticoduodenal lymph nodes (Group 13, 32.31%, lymph nodes around the superior mesenteric artery (Group 14, 15.85%, paraaortic lymph nodes (Group 16, 10.92%, and anterior pancreaticoduodenal lymph nodes (Group 17, 19.78%; The probability of metastasis in other lymph nodal regions were Commonly involved nodal regions in patients with pancreatic body/tail tumor include lymph nodes around the common hepatic artery (Group 8, 15.07%, lymph nodes around the celiac trunk (Group 9, 9.59%, lymph nodes along the splenic artery (Group 11, 35.62%, lymph nodes around the superior mesenteric artery (Group 14, 9.59%, paraaortic

  6. Morbidity of the neck after head and neck cancer therapy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Wilgen, C.P.; Dijkstra, P.U.; van der Laan, B.F.; Plukker, J.T.; Roodenburg, J.L.

    Background. Studies on morbidity of the neck after head and neck cancer therapy are scarcely described. Methods. Patients who underwent surgery, including neck dissection, with and without radiation therapy at least 1 year before the study were asked to participate. We assessed neck pain, loss of

  7. A Chimeric SERM-Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor Approach to Breast Cancer Therapy

    OpenAIRE

    Patel, Hitisha K.; Siklos, Marton I.; Abdelkarim, Hazem; Mendonca, Emma L.; Vaidya, Aditya; Petukhov, Pavel A.; Thatcher, Gregory R. J.

    2013-01-01

    Breast cancer remains a significant cause of death in women and few therapeutic options exist for estrogen receptor negative ER(−) cancers. Epigenetic re-activation of target genes using histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors has been proposed in ER(−) cancers to resensitize to therapy using selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) that are effective in ER(+) cancer treatment. Based upon preliminary studies in ER(+) and ER(−) breast cancer cells treated with combinations of HDAC inhibito...

  8. Biophotonic techniques for manipulation and characterization of drug delivery nanosystems in cancer therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spyratou, E; Makropoulou, M; Mourelatou, E A; Demetzos, C

    2012-12-31

    Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are usually involved in two opposite procedures related to cancer: initiation, progression and metastasis of cancer, as well as in all non-surgical therapeutic approaches for cancer, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy and photodynamic therapy. This review is concentrated in new therapeutic strategies that take advantage of increased ROS in cancer cells to enhance therapeutic activity and selectivity. Novel biophotonic techniques for manipulation and characterization of drug delivery nanosystems in cancer therapy are discussed, including optical tweezers and atomic force microscopy. This review highlights how these techniques are playing a critical role in recent and future cancer fighting applications. We can conclude that Biophotonics and nanomedicine are the future for cancer biology and disease management, possessing unique potential for early detection, accurate diagnosis, dosimetry and personalized treatment of biomedical applications targeting cancer. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Assessment of hepatitis B immunization status after antineoplastic therapy in children with cancer

    OpenAIRE

    Karaman, Serap; Vural, Sema; Yildirmak, Yildiz; Urganci, Nafiye; Usta, Merve

    2011-01-01

    BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hepatitis B is a disease that is preventable with vaccination. Antibody levels after vaccination may be affected by suppression of the immune system due to cancer therapy. Children with cancer have a high risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. We aimed to assess the pretreatment immunization status against HBV infection and the rate of continuity of immunization after therapy in children with cancer. DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective case review of patients trea...

  10. Gene Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer: Specificity, Issues and Hopes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rouanet, Marie; Lebrin, Marine; Gross, Fabian; Bournet, Barbara; Cordelier, Pierre; Buscail, Louis

    2017-06-08

    A recent death projection has placed pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma as the second cause of death by cancer in 2030. The prognosis for pancreatic cancer is very poor and there is a great need for new treatments that can change this poor outcome. Developments of therapeutic innovations in combination with conventional chemotherapy are needed urgently. Among innovative treatments the gene therapy offers a promising avenue. The present review gives an overview of the general strategy of gene therapy as well as the limitations and stakes of the different experimental in vivo models, expression vectors (synthetic and viral), molecular tools (interference RNA, genome editing) and therapeutic genes (tumor suppressor genes, antiangiogenic and pro-apoptotic genes, suicide genes). The latest developments in pancreatic carcinoma gene therapy are described including gene-based tumor cell sensitization to chemotherapy, vaccination and adoptive immunotherapy (chimeric antigen receptor T-cells strategy). Nowadays, there is a specific development of oncolytic virus therapies including oncolytic adenoviruses, herpes virus, parvovirus or reovirus. A summary of all published and on-going phase-1 trials is given. Most of them associate gene therapy and chemotherapy or radiochemotherapy. The first results are encouraging for most of the trials but remain to be confirmed in phase 2 trials.

  11. Combination of chemotherapy and heavy-ion particle therapy for gastrointestinal cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamada, Shigeru; Kitabayashi, Hiroyuki; Furusawa, Yoshiya; Ando, Koichi

    2005-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate the combination of chemotherapy and heavy-ion particle therapy for pancreas and esophageal cancer. We measured surviving fractions in four culture pancreas and esophageal cancer cells. The cell killing of heavy-ion irradiation is more effective compared to that of X ray irradiation. Gemcitabine induced radiosensitization for pancreas cancer cells and also taxotel for esophageal cancer. (author)

  12. Conservative treatment of rectal cancer with local excision and postoperative radiation therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Minsky, B.D.

    1995-01-01

    The conventional surgical treatment for patients with potentially curable transmural and/or node positive rectal cancer is a low anterior resection or abdominoperineal resection. Recently, there has been increasing interest in the use of local excision and postoperative radiation therapy as primary therapy for selected rectal cancers. The limited data suggest that the approach of local excision and postoperative radiation therapy should be limited to patients with either T 1 tumours with adverse pathological factors or T 2 tumours. Transmural tumours, which have a 24% local failure rate, are treated more effectively with standard surgery and pre- or postoperative therapy. The results of local excision and postoperative radiation therapy are encouraging, but more experience is needed to determine if this approach ultimately has similar local control and survival rates as standard surgery. (author)

  13. STOMATOLOGIC ASPECTS IN THERAPY OF LOCALLY DISTRIBUTED CANCER OF ORAL CAVITY MUCUS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. G. Matyakin

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim of the investigation: to improve prophylaxis of dental complications during the therapy in the patients with locally distributed cancer of oral cavity mucus.Materials. Results of sanation of oral cavity in 305 patients with cancer of oral and pharyngeal area are analyzed.Results. The best results are noted in the patients given surgical sanation before chemo-radial therapy. The most number of complications is observed when teeth were extracted after chemical therapy in the period of radial therapy at summary focal dose above 20 Gy as well as in the late periods after radial therapy.Conclusion. A complex of preventive measures with using haemostatic sponge with canamycin in such patients decreases the number of complications and the terms of healing of alveoli of extracted teeth.

  14. Nuclear medicine 2009. Abstracts; NuklearMedizin 2009. Vortraege

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2009-07-01

    The journal contains the abstracts of 188 lectures and the abstracts of 103 poster contributions concerning the following topics: systemic therapy; oncology: PET/therapy; physics: device technology; oncology: PET/new pharmaceuticals; neurology: receptors; motion correction methods; oncology: PET/FDG; cardiology; malign thyroid tumors; neuroendocrine tumors; radiochemistry {sup 1}8F, oncology: pre-clinic PET; neurology-oncology-activation; physics: quantification; various topics; radiochemistry: radioactive metals; benign thyroid tumors; therapeutical studies; neurology: neurodegeneration; oncology: SPECT/planar scintigraphy; local therapy; inflammation; dosimetry - radiation protection; radiochemistry: halogens.

  15. Nuclear medicine. Abstracts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    2000-01-01

    This issue of the journal contains the abstracts of the 183 conference papers as well as 266 posters presented at the conference. Subject fields covered are: Neurology, psychology, oncology, pediatrics, radiopharmacy, endocrinology, EDP, measuring equipment and methods, radiological protection, cardiology, and therapy. (orig./CB) [de

  16. Extended abstracts from the eight international meeting on progress in radio-oncology (ICRO/OeGRO 8), Salzburg, May 16-19, 2007

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2007-12-15

    This part of the journal includes 25 extended abstracts from the Eight International Meeting on Progress in Radio-Oncology ICRO/OeGRO8 in Salzburg, Austria (May 16-19, 2007): adaptive radiotherapy of prostate cancer; homoradiation of prostate cancer; radiation therapy, chemotherapy and combined chemoradiation in the management of malignant glioma; return of high-dose per fraction radiotherapy: paradigm change, lesson from the past; from bench to bedside: enhancing the effects of radiotherapy through biological escalation; gastric cancer: MAGIC or Macdonald; analysis of set-up errors in 70 consecutive patients treated for rectal carcinoma; molecular targeted therapy; teleradiooncology: telematics applications in therapeutic radiology and oncology; in-room guidance technologies for adaptive radiotherapy; dose escalation with photons - emerging technologies; late side-effects after pelvic irradiation; a frameless robotic stereotactic system for highly focused extracranial radiotherapy; altered fractionation in head and neck tumors: an alternative to chemotherapy; integration of molecular targeting with radiotherapy; OGRT pf prostate cancer patients based on CBCT and kV images; hyperfractionation in medulloblastoma; re-irradiation of recurrent prostate cancer; dose reduction of radiotherapy in early-stage testicular semimoma; photons versus protons; randomized clinical trials on postoperative radiotherapy for high-risk head and neck cancer; cardiac risk in multimodal breast cancer treatment; the use of hyperthermia treatment planning in clinical practice; presentation of the ICRU-IAEA Joint Report 'prescribing, recording, and reporting proton-beam therapy'.

  17. Effectiveness of Cepharanthin in decreasing interruptions during radiation therapy for oral cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uchiyama, Yuka; Murakami, Shumei; Kamimoto, Naoya; Nakatani, Atsutoshi; Furukawa, Souhei

    2005-01-01

    The objectives of this study was to examine the effectiveness of Cepharanthin (Kakensyoyaku, Tokyo, Japan) at decreasing side effects during radiation therapy for oral cancer and thereby allowing the completion of radiation therapy without interruption. Two hundred fifteen patients diagnosed with oral cancers were assigned to either Cepharanthin or control groups and underwent external beam irradiation. The completion of the course of radiation therapy and the occurrence of side effects such as mucositis, dysgeusia, and xerostomia during the radiation therapy were evaluated and compared. The completion rate was 87.4% for the Cepharanthin group versus 67.0% for the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.01). Mucositis did not appear in 58 of 127 cases (45.7%) in the Cepharanthin group or in 21 of 88 cases (23.9%) in the control group. Mucositis developed in 24.6% of the Cepharanthin group and 53.7% of the control group within 2 weeks of irradiation. There were significant relationships between the use of Cepharanthin and the development and timing of mucositis (both P<0.01). Cepharanthin improved the completion of radiation therapy without interruption and reduced or delayed the development of mucositis during radiation therapy for oral cancer. (author)

  18. Theragnosis-based combined cancer therapy using doxorubicin-conjugated microRNA-221 molecular beacon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Jonghwan; Choi, Kyung-Ju; Moon, Sung Ung; Kim, Soonhag

    2016-01-01

    Recently, microRNA (miRNA or miR) has emerged as a new cancer biomarker because of its high expression level in various cancer types and its role in the control of tumor suppressor genes. In cancer studies, molecular imaging and treatment based on target cancer markers have been combined to facilitate simultaneous cancer diagnosis and therapy. In this study, for combined therapy with diagnosis of cancer, we developed a doxorubicin-conjugated miR-221 molecular beacon (miR-221 DOXO MB) in a single platform composed of three different nucleotides: miR-221 binding sequence, black hole quencher 1 (BHQ1), and doxorubicin binding site. Imaging of endogenous miR-221 was achieved by specific hybridization between miR-221 and the miR-221 binding site in miR-221 DOXO MB. The presence of miR-221 triggered detachment of the quencher oligo and subsequent activation of a fluorescent signal of miR-221 DOXO MB. Simultaneous cancer therapy in C6 astrocytoma cells and nude mice was achieved by inhibition of miRNA-221 function that downregulates tumor suppressor genes. The detection of miR-221 expression and inhibition of miR-221 function by miR-221 DOXO MB provide the feasibility as a cancer theragnostic probe. Furthermore, a cytotoxic effect was induced by unloading of doxorubicin intercalated into miR-221 DOXO MB inside cells. Loss of miR-221 function and cytotoxicity induced by the miR-221 DOXO MB provides combined therapeutic efficacy against cancers. This method could be used as a new theragnostic probe with enhanced therapy to detect and inhibit many cancer-related miRNAs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Molecular biology of Homo sapiens: Abstracts of papers presented at the 51st Cold Spring Harbor symposium on quantitative biology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Watson, J.D.; Siniscalco, M.

    1986-01-01

    This volume contains abstracts of papers presented at the 51st Cold Springs Harbor Symposium on Quantitative Biology. The topic for this meeting was the ''Molecular Biology of Homo sapiens.'' Sessions were entitled Human Gene Map, Human Cancer Genes, Genetic Diagnosis, Human Evolution, Drugs Made Off Human Genes, Receptors, and Gene Therapy. (DT)

  20. DNA repair in cancer: emerging targets for personalized therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abbotts, Rachel; Thompson, Nicola; Madhusudan, Srinivasan

    2014-01-01

    Genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is under constant threat from endogenous and exogenous DNA damaging agents. Mammalian cells have evolved highly conserved DNA repair machinery to process DNA damage and maintain genomic integrity. Impaired DNA repair is a major driver for carcinogenesis and could promote aggressive cancer biology. Interestingly, in established tumors, DNA repair activity is required to counteract oxidative DNA damage that is prevalent in the tumor microenvironment. Emerging clinical data provide compelling evidence that overexpression of DNA repair factors may have prognostic and predictive significance in patients. More recently, DNA repair inhibition has emerged as a promising target for anticancer therapy. Synthetic lethality exploits intergene relationships where the loss of function of either of two related genes is nonlethal, but loss of both causes cell death. Exploiting this approach by targeting DNA repair has emerged as a promising strategy for personalized cancer therapy. In the current review, we focus on recent advances with a particular focus on synthetic lethality targeting in cancer

  1. Circulating DNA as Potential Biomarker for Cancer Individualized Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shaorong Yu

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Cancer individualized therapy often requires for gene mutation analysis of tumor tissue. However, tumor tissue is not always available in clinical practice, particularly from patients with refractory and recurrence disease. Even if patients have sufficient tumor tissue for detection, as development of cancer, the gene status and drug sensitivity of tumor tissues could also change. Hence, screening mutations from primary tumor tissues becomes useless, it’s necessary to find a surrogate tumor tissue for individualized gene screening. Circulating DNA is digested rapidly from blood, which could provide real-time information of the released fragment and make the real-time detection possible. Therefore, it’s expected that circulating DNA could be a potential tumor biomarker for cancer individualized therapy. This review focuses on the biology and clinical utility of circulating DNA mainly on gene mutation detection. Besides, its current status and possible direction in this research area is summarized and discussed objectively.

  2. Cognitive Deficits in Breast Cancer Survivors After Chemotherapy and Hormonal Therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frank, Jennifer Sandson; Vance, David E; Triebel, Kristen L; Meneses, Karen M

    2015-12-01

    Adjuvant treatments, specifically chemotherapy and hormonal therapy, have dramatically increased breast cancer survival, resulting in increased attention to the residual effects of treatment. Breast cancer survivors (BCS) frequently report that cognitive deficits are a particular source of distress, interfering with many aspects of quality of life. The literature on neuropsychological performance measures in BCS supports the reality of subtle cognitive deficits after both chemotherapy and hormonal therapy. This premise is supported by recent imaging studies, which reveal anatomical changes after chemotherapy as well as changes in patterns of neural activation while performing cognitive tasks. This review suggests that, even when performance on neuropsychological performance measures is within normal limits, BCS may be using increased cognitive resources in the face of reduced cognitive reserve. Potential interventions for cognitive deficits after adjuvant therapy include prescriptions for healthy living, pharmacotherapy, complementary therapy, and cognitive remediation therapy directed toward specific cognitive deficits or a combination of several strategies.

  3. Combination of chemotherapy and heavy-ion particle therapy for pancreas cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamada, Shigeru; Ando, Koichi

    2003-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate the combination of chemotherapy and heavy-ion particle therapy for pancreas cancer. We measured surviving fractions in four culture pancreas cancer cells. The cell killing of heavy-ion irradiation is more effective compared to that of X ray irradiation. Gemcitabine induced radiosensitization for pancreas cancer cells. (author)

  4. Combination of chemotherapy and heavy-ion particle therapy for pancreas cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamada, Shigeru; Ando, Koichi

    2004-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate the combination of chemotherapy and heavy-ion particle therapy for pancreas cancer. We measured surviving fractions in four culture pancreas cancer cells. The cell killing of heavy-ion irradiation is more effective compared to that of X ray irradiation. Gemcitabine induced radiosensitization for pancreas cancer cells. (author)

  5. The holistic 3M modality of drug delivery nanosystems for cancer therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Jin; Luo, Cong; Wang, Yongjun; He, Zhonggui

    2013-01-01

    Cancer has become the leading cause of human death worldwide. There are many challenges in the treatment of cancer and the rapidly developing area of nanotechnology has shown great potential to open a new era in cancer therapy. This article, rather than being exhaustive, focuses on the striking progress in the drug delivery nanosystems (DDNS) for cancer therapy and selects typical examples to point out the emerging mode of action of DDNS from our perspective. Among the outstanding advances in DDNS for cancer therapy is the development of ``multicomponent delivery systems'', ``multifunctional nanocarriers'' and ``multistage delivery systems''. However, these represent only one aspect of DDNS research. In addition, nature is the best teacher and natural evolution pressure has meant that virions conform to the ``multitarget, multistage and multicomponent'' (3M) mode of action. Amazingly, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), used for over 4000 years in China, also displays the same mode of action. Integrating the previous notable progress in nanoparticle technology, learned from the building mode of natural virions and the action concept of TCM, we propose an integrity-based 3M mode DDNS for cancer therapy: multitarget, multistage and multicomponent, which are not fragmented parts but an interconnected integrity. Based on the physiological multitarget and the pharmacokinetic multistage, multicomponent DDNS are rationally designed, where different components with individual specific functions act in a synergistic manner against each target at each disposition stage to maximize the targeted delivery effectiveness. In this article, we introduce each component of 3M DDNS in detail and describe some typical cases to realize the tumor-homing purposes.

  6. Where Do Patients With Cancer in Iowa Receive Radiation Therapy?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ward, Marcia M.; Ullrich, Fred; Matthews, Kevin; Rushton, Gerard; Tracy, Roger; Goldstein, Michael A.; Bajorin, Dean F.; Kosty, Michael P.; Bruinooge, Suanna S.; Hanley, Amy; Jacobson, Geraldine M.; Lynch, Charles F.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: Multiple studies have shown survival benefits in patients with cancer treated with radiation therapy, but access to treatment facilities has been found to limit its use. This study was undertaken to examine access issues in Iowa and determine a methodology for conducting a similar national analysis. Patients and Methods: All Iowa residents who received radiation therapy regardless of where they were diagnosed or treated were identified through the Iowa Cancer Registry (ICR). Radiation oncologists were identified through the Iowa Physician Information System (IPIS). Radiation facilities were identified through IPIS and classified using the Commission on Cancer accreditation standard. Results: Between 2004 and 2010, 113,885 invasive cancers in 106,603 patients, 28.5% of whom received radiation treatment, were entered in ICR. Mean and median travel times were 25.8 and 20.1 minutes, respectively, to the nearest facility but 42.4 and 29.1 minutes, respectively, to the patient's chosen treatment facility. Multivariable analysis predicting travel time showed significant relationships for disease site, age, residence location, and facility category. Residents of small and isolated rural towns traveled nearly 3× longer than urban residents to receive radiation therapy, as did patients using certain categories of facilities. Conclusion: Half of Iowa patients could reach their nearest facility in 20 minutes, but instead, they traveled 30 minutes on average to receive treatment. The findings identified certain groups of patients with cancer who chose more distant facilities. However, other groups of patients with cancer, namely those residing in rural areas, had less choice, and some had to travel considerably farther to radiation facilities than urban patients. PMID:24443730

  7. Delayed damage after radiation therapy for head and neck cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Matsumoto, Yoshiyuki [Osaka Dental Univ., Hirakata (Japan)

    2000-03-01

    I investigated radiation damage, including osteoradionecrosis, arising from tooth extraction in fields that had received radiation therapy for head and neck cancer, and evaluated the effectiveness of pilocarpine for xerostomia. Between January 1990 and April 1996, I examined 30 patients for bone changes after tooth extraction in fields irradiated at the Department of Oral Radiology, Osaka Dental University Hospital. Nineteen of the patients had been treated for nasopharyngeal cancer and 11 for oropharyngeal cancer. Between January and April 1996, 4 additional patients were given pilocarpine hydrochloride (3-mg, 6-mg and 9-mg of KSS-694 orally three times a day) for 12 weeks and evaluated every 4 weeks as a base line. One had been treated for nasopharyngeal carcinoma, two for cancer of the cheek and one for an unknown carcinoma. Eighteen of the patients (11 with nasopharyngeal carcinoma and 7 with oropharyngeal carcinoma) had extractions. Use of preoperative and postoperative radiographs indicated that damage to the bone following tooth extraction after radiation exposure was related to whether antibiotics were administered the day before the extraction, whether forceps or elevators were used, and whether the tooth was in the field of radiation. Xerostomia improved in all 4 of the patients who received 6-mg or 9-mg of pilocarpine. It improved saliva production and relieved the symptoms of xerostomia after radiation therapy for head and neck cancer, although there were minor side effects such as fever. This information can be used to improve the oral environment of patients who have received radiation therapy for head and neck cancer, and to better understand their oral environment. (author)

  8. The Effectiveness of Group Therapy on Rescuing Patients with Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hossein Malekzadeh Fini

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Recent studies show that the cancer has several negative results. The anxiety, depression and disappointment are more common than the others.  Hopefully thinking and cancer in two ways are related together. First the hopeful people use The problem-focused coping strategies more than the others and show less anxious and more agreement to diagnosis and treatment of cancer. So the goal of this survey is the effect of group hope therapy on reciliency of cancer patients. In this survey the Quasi-experiment and pre-test and pro test with control group is used. The society are all of the cancer patients who are coming to Kashan Imam Hassan institution and 16 of them are chose by available sampling and randomly put in two trial and control group. The trial group participated in nine group consultation sessions and the control group had no education. For toleration testing the Conroy Davidson questionnaire 2003 is used. Data are analysed by co variance analysis. The results show that the group hope therapy had a meaning full effect on toleration and the idea of personal competency, negative affection tolerance and acceptation of positive changing and spiritual control and affection s are affected the scales. Hope let people to have no stress and enable them to try to reach to their goals, the hope therapy try to enable people to have a view beyond the current situation and pain and suffering. So the toleration is not more than tolerance of the difficult situations and every things that make better the situation of cancer patients will increase the toreciliency.

  9. Delayed damage after radiation therapy for head and neck cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsumoto, Yoshiyuki

    2000-01-01

    I investigated radiation damage, including osteoradionecrosis, arising from tooth extraction in fields that had received radiation therapy for head and neck cancer, and evaluated the effectiveness of pilocarpine for xerostomia. Between January 1990 and April 1996, I examined 30 patients for bone changes after tooth extraction in fields irradiated at the Department of Oral Radiology, Osaka Dental University Hospital. Nineteen of the patients had been treated for nasopharyngeal cancer and 11 for oropharyngeal cancer. Between January and April 1996, 4 additional patients were given pilocarpine hydrochloride (3-mg, 6-mg and 9-mg of KSS-694 orally three times a day) for 12 weeks and evaluated every 4 weeks as a base line. One had been treated for nasopharyngeal carcinoma, two for cancer of the cheek and one for an unknown carcinoma. Eighteen of the patients (11 with nasopharyngeal carcinoma and 7 with oropharyngeal carcinoma) had extractions. Use of preoperative and postoperative radiographs indicated that damage to the bone following tooth extraction after radiation exposure was related to whether antibiotics were administered the day before the extraction, whether forceps or elevators were used, and whether the tooth was in the field of radiation. Xerostomia improved in all 4 of the patients who received 6-mg or 9-mg of pilocarpine. It improved saliva production and relieved the symptoms of xerostomia after radiation therapy for head and neck cancer, although there were minor side effects such as fever. This information can be used to improve the oral environment of patients who have received radiation therapy for head and neck cancer, and to better understand their oral environment. (author)

  10. Molecular Imaging Probes for Diagnosis and Therapy Evaluation of Breast Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qingqing Meng

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Breast cancer is a major cause of cancer death in women where early detection and accurate assessment of therapy response can improve clinical outcomes. Molecular imaging, which includes PET, SPECT, MRI, and optical modalities, provides noninvasive means of detecting biological processes and molecular events in vivo. Molecular imaging has the potential to enhance our understanding of breast cancer biology and effects of drug action during both preclinical and clinical phases of drug development. This has led to the identification of many molecular imaging probes for key processes in breast cancer. Hormone receptors, growth factor receptor, and angiogenic factors, such as ER, PR, HER2, and VEGFR, have been adopted as imaging targets to detect and stage the breast cancer and to monitor the treatment efficacy. Receptor imaging probes are usually composed of targeting moiety attached to a signaling component such as a radionuclide that can be detected using dedicated instruments. Current molecular imaging probes involved in breast cancer diagnosis and therapy evaluation are reviewed, and future of molecular imaging for the preclinical and clinical is explained.

  11. The role of radiation therapy in multimodality treatment for renal-cell cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Semikoz, N.G.; Kudryashov, O.G.; Ponomar'ov, V.V.; Osipenkov, R.A.; Anyishchenko, A.O.; Kudryashova, S.M.

    2011-01-01

    The authors report the results of multimodality treatment for renal-cell cancer (pT any, N any, M0) using pre- operative large-fraction irradiation. Our findings demonstrate that radiation therapy does not aggravate the conditions for surgery and improves long-term results. The data about efficacy of multimodality treatment (palliative nephrectomy with radiation therapy) in patients with primary metastatic kidney cancer T any, N any, M1) are also reported.

  12. When less may be more: calorie restriction and response to cancer therapy

    OpenAIRE

    O?Flanagan, Ciara H.; Smith, Laura A.; McDonell, Shannon B.; Hursting, Stephen D.

    2017-01-01

    Calorie restriction (CR) extends lifespan and has been shown to reduce age-related diseases including cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases in experimental models. Recent translational studies have tested the potential of CR or CR mimetics as adjuvant therapies to enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and novel immunotherapies. Chronic CR is challenging to employ in cancer patients, and therefore intermittent fasting, CR mimetic drugs, or alter...

  13. Possibilities of Occupational Therapy Intervention for Cancer Patients

    OpenAIRE

    Bejdlová, Dagmar

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this thesis is to approach the issue of cancer patients and to present occupational therapy intervention in oncology. The theoretical part of the thesis is an overview of the most important concepts from the field of oncology. It outlines different types of treatments in oncology, including their side effects. There are also the most frequent cancer diagnoses in the Czech Republic and abroad. Furthermore, the work describes the general possibilities of rehabilitation for people wit...

  14. Numerical Study of Photoacoustic Pressure for Cancer Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas Grosges

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available A commonly used therapy for cancer is based on the necrosis of cells induced by heating through the illumination of nanoparticles embedded in cells. Recently, the photoacoustic pressure shock induced by the illumination pulse was proved and this points to another means of cell destruction. The purpose of this study is to propose a model of the photoacoustic pressure in cells. The numerical resolution of the problem requires the accurate computation of the electromagnetism, the temperature and the pressure around the nanostructures embedded in a cell. Here, the problem of the interaction between an electromagnetic excitation and a gold nanoparticle embedded in a cell domain is solved. The variations of the thermal and photoacoustic pressures are studied in order to analyze the pressure shock wave inducing the collapse of the cell’s membrane in cancer therapy.

  15. Overall Survival Benefit From Postoperative Radiation Therapy for Organ-Confined, Margin-Positive Prostate Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dillman, Robert O.; Hafer, Russell; Cox, Craig; McClure, Stephanie E.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: Radical prostatectomy for invasive prostate cancer is associated with positive margin rates in 10% to 50% of resected specimens. Postoperative radiation therapy may benefit patients who have organ-confined prostate cancer with positive margins. Methods and Materials: We performed a retrospective analysis to examine whether adjunctive radiation therapy enhanced long-term survival for prostate cancer patients who underwent prostatectomy for localized prostate cancer but with positive margins. We used the Hoag Cancer Center database to identify patients diagnosed with invasive prostate cancer. Relative and overall survival rates were calculated. Results: Among 1,474 patients diagnosed with localized invasive prostate cancer during the years 1990 to 2006 and undergoing prostatectomy, 113 (7.7%) were identified who had positive margins and did not have local extension of disease, positive lymph nodes, or distant metastases. A total of 17 patients received adjunctive radiation therapy (Group A), whereas 96 did not (Group B; 3 received hormonal therapy). Both groups had a median age of 64 years and median follow-up of 7.5 years. In Group A, no patients have died as of last follow-up, but in Group B, 18 have died. Estimated 10-year and 15-year overall survival rates were both 100% for Group A compared with 85% and 57% respectively for Group B (p 2 = 0.050, log rank). Relative 10- and 15 year survival rates were both 100% for Group A compared with 100% and 79% respectively for Group B. Conclusions: This retrospective analysis suggests that prostate cancer patients with localized disease but positive margins do derive a survival benefit from adjuvant radiation therapy.

  16. Efficacy of walking exercise in promoting cognitive-psychosocial functions in men with prostate cancer receiving androgen deprivation therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lee C

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed non-melanoma cancer among men. Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT has been the core therapy for men with advanced prostate cancer. It is only in recent years that clinicians began to recognize the cognitive-psychosocial side effects from ADT, which significantly compromise the quality of life of prostate cancer survivors. The objectives of the study are to determine the efficacy of a simple and accessible home-based, walking exercise program in promoting cognitive and psychosocial functions of men with prostate cancer receiving ADT. Methods A 6-month prospective, single-blinded, randomized controlled trial will be conducted to compare the Exercise Group with the Control Group. Twenty men with prostate cancer starting ADT will be recruited and randomly assigned to one of the two groups: the Exercise Group will receive instructions in setting up an individualized 6-month home-based, walking exercise program, while the Control Group will receive standard medical advice from the attending physician. The primary outcomes will be psychosocial and cognitive functions. Cognitive functions including memory, attention, working memory, and executive function will be assessed using a battery of neurocognitive tests at baseline and 6 months. Psychosocial functions including depression, anxiety and self-esteem will be assessed at baseline, 3 and 6 months using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Discussion The significance of the cognitive-psychosocial side effects of ADT in men with prostate cancer has only been recently recognized, and the management remains unclear. This study addresses this issue by designing a simple and accessible home-based, exercise program that may potentially have significant impact on reducing the cognitive and psychosocial side effects of ADT, and ultimately

  17. Vectors for Inhaled Gene Therapy in Lung Cancer. Application for Nano Oncology and Safety of Bio Nanotechnology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zarogouldis, Paul; Karamanos, Nikos K.; Porpodis, Konstantinos; Domvri, Kalliopi; Huang, Haidong; Hohenforst-Schimdt, Wolfgang; Goldberg, Eugene P.; Zarogoulidis, Konstantinos

    2012-01-01

    Novel aerosol therapeutic modalities have been investigated for lung cancer. Inhaled gene therapy has presented safety and effectiveness previously in cystic fibrosis. However, safety concerns have been raised regarding the safety of non-viral vectors for inhaled gene therapy in lung cancer, and therefore small steps have been made towards this multifunctional treatment modality. During the last decade, numerous new nanocomplexes have been created and investigated as a safe gene delivery nano-vehicle. These formulations are multifunctional; they can be used as either local therapy or carrier for an effective inhaled gene therapy for lung cancer. Herein, we present current and future perspectives of nanocomplexes for inhaled gene therapy treatment in lung cancer. PMID:23109824

  18. Targeted Alpha Therapy Approach to the Management of Pancreatic Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Allen, Barry J.; Abbas Rizvi, Syed M.; Qu, Chang F.; Smith, Ross C.

    2011-01-01

    Evidence for the efficacy of targeted alpha therapy for the control of pancreatic cancer in preclinical models is reviewed. Results are given for in vitro pancreatic cancer cells and clusters and micro-metastatic cancer lesions in vivo. Two complementary targeting vectors are examined. These are the C595 monoclonal antibody that targets the MUC1 antigen and the PAI2 ligand that targets the uPA receptor. The expression of the tumor-associated antigen MUC-1 and the uPA receptor on three pancreatic cancer cell lines is reported for cell clusters, human mouse xenografts and lymph node metastases, as well as for human pancreatic cancer tissues, using immuno-histochemistry, confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. The targeting vectors C595 and PAI2 were labeled with the alpha emitting radioisotope 213 Bi using the chelators cDTPA and CHX-A″ to form the alpha-conjugates (AC). Cell clusters were incubated with the AC and examined at 48 hours. Apoptosis was documented using the TUNEL assay. In vivo, the anti-proliferative effect for tumors was tested at two days post-subcutaneous cell inoculation. Mice were injected with different concentrations of AC by local or systemic administration. Changes in tumor progression were assessed by tumor size. MUC-1 and uPA are strongly expressed on CFPAC-1, PANC-1 and moderate expression was found CAPAN-1 cell clusters and tumor xenografts. The ACs can target pancreatic cells and regress cell clusters (∼100 μm diameter), causing apoptosis in some 70–90 % of cells. At two days post-cell inoculation in mice, a single local injection of 74 MBq/kg of AC causes complete inhibition of tumor growth. Systemic injections of 111, 222 and 333 MBq/kg of alpha-conjugate caused significant tumor growth delay in a dose dependent manner after 16 weeks, compared with the non-specific control at 333 MBq/kg. Cytotoxicity was assessed by the MTS and TUNEL assays. The C595 and PAI2-alpha conjugates are indicated for the treatment of micro

  19. Modern Radiation Therapy and Cardiac Outcomes in Breast Cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Boero, Isabel J.; Paravati, Anthony J.; Triplett, Daniel P.; Hwang, Lindsay; Matsuno, Rayna K.; Gillespie, Erin F.; Yashar, Catheryn M.; Moiseenko, Vitali; Einck, John P.; Mell, Loren K. [Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Parikh, Sahil A. [University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute, and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio (United States); Murphy, James D., E-mail: j2murphy@ucsd.edu [Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States)

    2016-03-15

    Purpose: Adjuvant radiation therapy, which has proven benefit against breast cancer, has historically been associated with an increased incidence of ischemic heart disease. Modern techniques have reduced this risk, but a detailed evaluation has not recently been conducted. The present study evaluated the effect of current radiation practices on ischemia-related cardiac events and procedures in a population-based study of older women with nonmetastatic breast cancer. Methods and Materials: A total of 29,102 patients diagnosed from 2000 to 2009 were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results–Medicare database. Medicare claims were used to identify the radiation therapy and cardiac outcomes. Competing risk models were used to assess the effect of radiation on these outcomes. Results: Patients with left-sided breast cancer had a small increase in their risk of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) after radiation therapy—the 10-year cumulative incidence for these patients was 5.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.9%-6.2%) and 4.5% (95% CI 4.0%-5.0%) for right-sided patients. This risk was limited to women with previous cardiac disease. For patients who underwent PCI, those with left-sided breast cancer had a significantly increased risk of cardiac mortality with a subdistribution hazard ratio of 2.02 (95% CI 1.23-3.34). No other outcome, including cardiac mortality for the entire cohort, showed a significant relationship with tumor laterality. Conclusions: For women with a history of cardiac disease, those with left-sided breast cancer who underwent radiation therapy had increased rates of PCI and a survival decrement if treated with PCI. The results of the present study could help cardiologists and radiation oncologists better stratify patients who need more aggressive cardioprotective techniques.

  20. Modern Radiation Therapy and Cardiac Outcomes in Breast Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boero, Isabel J.; Paravati, Anthony J.; Triplett, Daniel P.; Hwang, Lindsay; Matsuno, Rayna K.; Gillespie, Erin F.; Yashar, Catheryn M.; Moiseenko, Vitali; Einck, John P.; Mell, Loren K.; Parikh, Sahil A.; Murphy, James D.

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: Adjuvant radiation therapy, which has proven benefit against breast cancer, has historically been associated with an increased incidence of ischemic heart disease. Modern techniques have reduced this risk, but a detailed evaluation has not recently been conducted. The present study evaluated the effect of current radiation practices on ischemia-related cardiac events and procedures in a population-based study of older women with nonmetastatic breast cancer. Methods and Materials: A total of 29,102 patients diagnosed from 2000 to 2009 were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results–Medicare database. Medicare claims were used to identify the radiation therapy and cardiac outcomes. Competing risk models were used to assess the effect of radiation on these outcomes. Results: Patients with left-sided breast cancer had a small increase in their risk of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) after radiation therapy—the 10-year cumulative incidence for these patients was 5.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.9%-6.2%) and 4.5% (95% CI 4.0%-5.0%) for right-sided patients. This risk was limited to women with previous cardiac disease. For patients who underwent PCI, those with left-sided breast cancer had a significantly increased risk of cardiac mortality with a subdistribution hazard ratio of 2.02 (95% CI 1.23-3.34). No other outcome, including cardiac mortality for the entire cohort, showed a significant relationship with tumor laterality. Conclusions: For women with a history of cardiac disease, those with left-sided breast cancer who underwent radiation therapy had increased rates of PCI and a survival decrement if treated with PCI. The results of the present study could help cardiologists and radiation oncologists better stratify patients who need more aggressive cardioprotective techniques.

  1. Preliminary clinical evaluation of continuous infusion of 5-FU and low-dose cisplatin (LFP) therapy alone and combined with radiation therapy for treatment of advanced or recurrent esophageal cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Itoh, Satoshi; Morita, Sojiro; Ohnishi, Takenao; Tsuji, Akihito; Takamatsu, Masahiro; Horimi, Tadashi

    2002-01-01

    We evaluated the clinical effect of 5-FU and low-dose Cisplatin (LFP) therapy alone and LFP therapy combined with radiation therapy in patients with advanced or recurrent esophageal cancer. From March 1995 to September 2000, 11 patients with inoperable esophageal cancer, 8 patients with adjuvant chemotherapy post operation, and 14 patients with recurrent esophageal cancer were treated with LFP therapy. 5-FU (160 mg/m 2 /day) was continuously infused over 24 hours, and CDDP (3-7 mg/m 2 /day) was infused for 30 minutes. The administration schedule consisted of 5-FU for 7 consecutive days and CDDP for 5 days followed by a 2-day rest, each for four weeks. We combined radiation therapy for the patients with all lesions that could be included in the radiation field. Of 30 patients with measurable lesions the response rates of LFP therapy alone and LFP therapy combined with radiation therapy were 33% and 60%, respectively. Toxicity over grade 3 appeared in 3 of 15 patients with LFP therapy combined with radiation therapy. There was no significant difference between LFP therapy alone and LFP therapy combined with radiation therapy with regard to survival rate of inoperable and recurrent esophageal cancer. In conclusion, LFP therapy alone may be effective for esophageal cancer. (author)

  2. Uterine cervical cancer. Usefulness of MR imaging after the initial radiation therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Monzen, Yoshio; Mori, Hiromu; Matsumoto, Akira; Yoshida, Shintaro; Wakisaka, Masaki; Komatsu, Eiji; Tashiro, Makoto; Hori, Yuko.

    1995-01-01

    To evaluate the usefulness of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in diagnosing residual or recurrent tumors of cervical cancer after radiation therapy, we investigated the time difference between MRI and gynecologic findings in the diagnosis of residual or recurrent tumor in 12 patients with invasive cervical cancer. We defined a positive finding for residual or recurrent tumor as an uterine cervical mass isointense to muscle on T1-weighted images and hyperintense on T2-weighted images, and when a positive biopsy specimen was obtained. Two patients were diagnosed as having a residual or recurrent tumor by MRI. Positivity was demonstrated four and seven months later, respectively. MRI was more useful in the earlier diagnosis of residual or recurrent tumor of cervical cancer after radiation therapy than uterine biopsy. There was one patient whose differentiation from residual tumor or radiation-induced necrosis or inflammation on MRI was difficult. MRI and gynecologic check-up at a regular interval after radiation therapy was needed to distinguish them. One patient was diagnosed as having a recurrent tumor by gynecologic finding three months earlier than by MRI. Follow-up MRI examinations at a regular interval in addition to gynecologic examination is necessary for the early detection of recurrent cervical cancer after radiation therapy. (author)

  3. Palliative nephrectomy until targeted therapy of disseminated kidney cancer patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. V. Klimov

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective: to assess the role of palliative nephrectomy in disseminated kidney cancer patients planned to undergo targeted antiangiogenic treatment.Subjects and methods. The investigation included data on 83 patients with T1-4N0 / +M1 disseminated renal cell carcinoma (RCC who had received at least 2 targeted therapy cycles in 2009 to 2011. In 48 (57.8 % patients, the treatment was preceded by palliative nephrectomy that was not carried out in 35 (42.2 %. Before starting targeted therapy, all the cases were confirmed to be diagnosed with clear cell RCC, with a sarcomatoid component being in 7 (8.4 % patients. The median follow-up of all the patients was 21 (12–36 months.Results. The unremoved affected kidney in disseminated kidney cancer patients receiving targeted antiangiogenic therapy is an independent factor for the poor prognosis of progression-free (odds ratio (OR, 2.4; 95 % confidence interval (CI, 1.2–4.7 and overall (OR, 2.8; 95 % CI, 1.3–6.3 survival. Palliative nephrectomy does not improve the prognosis in patients with a low somatic status, the N+ category, and metastases into the bones and nonregional lymph nodes.Conclusion. Palliative nephrectomy in the selected patients with disseminated kidney cancer on targeted antiangiogenic therapy increases progression-free and overall survival.

  4. The IAEA programme of action for cancer therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oliver, L. D.

    2007-01-01

    Full text: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on 10 December 2005. To acknowledge receiving this prestigious award, the IAEA arranged three special workshops in the regions of Asia, Africa and South America. These special events brought together high-ranking delegates from IAEA member countries within their regions. The theme of the workshop was on human resources development in radiation oncology in the context mmcer control programs. This paper presents information on the world cancer incidence provided the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Details of the IAEA Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy (PACT) 2 are also presented.

  5. The Role of Resveratrol in Cancer Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeong-Hyeon Ko

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract: Natural product compounds have recently attracted significant attention from the scientific community for their potent effects against inflammation-driven diseases, including cancer. A significant amount of research, including preclinical, clinical, and epidemiological studies, has indicated that dietary consumption of polyphenols, found at high levels in cereals, pulses, vegetables, and fruits, may prevent the evolution of an array of diseases, including cancer. Cancer development is a carefully orchestrated progression where normal cells acquires mutations in their genetic makeup, which cause the cells to continuously grow, colonize, and metastasize to other organs such as the liver, lungs, colon, and brain. Compounds that modulate these oncogenic processes can be considered as potential anti-cancer agents that may ultimately make it to clinical application. Resveratrol, a natural stilbene and a non-flavonoid polyphenol, is a phytoestrogen that possesses anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, and anti-cancer properties. It has been reported that resveratrol can reverse multidrug resistance in cancer cells, and, when used in combination with clinically used drugs, it can sensitize cancer cells to standard chemotherapeutic agents. Several novel analogs of resveratrol have been developed with improved anti-cancer activity, bioavailability, and pharmacokinetic profile. The current focus of this review is resveratrol’s in vivo and in vitro effects in a variety of cancers, and intracellular molecular targets modulated by this polyphenol. This is also accompanied by a comprehensive update of the various clinical trials that have demonstrated it to be a promising therapeutic and chemopreventive agent.

  6. Targeted Therapy for Biliary Tract Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Furuse, Junji; Okusaka, Takuji

    2011-01-01

    It is necessary to establish effective chemotherapy to improve the survival of patients with biliary tract cancer, because most of these patients are unsuitable candidates for surgery, and even patients undergoing curative surgery often have recurrence. Recently, the combination of cisplatin plus gemcitabine was reported to show survival benefits over gemcitabine alone in randomized clinical trials conducted in the United Kingdom and Japan. Thus, the combination of cisplatin plus gemcitabine is now recognized as the standard therapy for unresectable biliary tract cancer. One of the next issues that need to be addressed is whether molecular targeted agents might also be effective against biliary tract cancer. Although some targeted agents have been investigated as monotherapy for first-line chemotherapy, none were found to exert satisfactory efficacy. On the other hand, monoclonal antibodies such as bevacizumab and cetuximab have also been investigated in combination with a gemcitabine-based regimen and have been demonstrated to show promising activity. Furthermore, clinical trials using new targeted agents for biliary tract cancer are also proposed. This cancer is a relatively rare and heterogeneous tumor consisting of cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder carcinoma. Therefore, a large randomized clinical trial is necessary to confirm the efficacy of chemotherapy, and international collaboration is important

  7. Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines in Combination with Conventional Therapy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Mads Hald; Junker, N.; Ellebaek, E.

    2010-01-01

    The clinical efficacy of most therapeutic vaccines against cancer has not yet met its promise. Data are emerging that strongly support the notion that combining immunotherapy with conventional therapies, for example, radiation and chemotherapy may improve efficacy. In particular combination...

  8. Therapeutic cancer vaccines in combination with conventional therapy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Mads Hald; Junker, Niels; Ellebaek, Eva

    2010-01-01

    The clinical efficacy of most therapeutic vaccines against cancer has not yet met its promise. Data are emerging that strongly support the notion that combining immunotherapy with conventional therapies, for example, radiation and chemotherapy may improve efficacy. In particular combination...

  9. Functionalized upconversion nanoparticles for cancer imaging and therapy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Liu, K.

    2014-01-01

    Near infrared (NIR) light administrated fluorescence imaging and photodynamic therapy (PDT) have shown great promising in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Especially with the recent development of the rare earth ions doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs), much attentions have been attracted in

  10. Nanoparticle-mediated delivery of suicide genes in cancer therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vago, Riccardo; Collico, Veronica; Zuppone, Stefania; Prosperi, Davide; Colombo, Miriam

    2016-09-01

    Conventional chemotherapeutics have been employed in cancer treatment for decades due to their efficacy in killing the malignant cells, but the other side of the coin showed off-target effects, onset of drug resistance and recurrences. To overcome these limitations, different approaches have been investigated and suicide gene therapy has emerged as a promising alternative. This approach consists in the introduction of genetic materials into cancerous cells or the surrounding tissue to cause cell death or retard the growth of the tumor mass. Despite promising results obtained both in vitro and in vivo, this innovative approach has been limited, for long time, to the treatment of localized tumors, due to the suboptimal efficiency in introducing suicide genes into cancer cells. Nanoparticles represent a valuable non-viral delivery system to protect drugs in the bloodstream, to improve biodistribution, and to limit side effects by achieving target selectivity through surface ligands. In this scenario, the real potential of suicide genes can be translated into clinically viable treatments for patients. In the present review, we summarize the recent advances of inorganic nanoparticles as non-viral vectors in terms of therapeutic efficacy, targeting capacity and safety issues. We describe the main suicide genes currently used in therapy, with particular emphasis on toxin-encoding genes of bacterial and plant origin. In addition, we discuss the relevance of molecular targeting and tumor-restricted expression to improve treatment specificity to cancer tissue. Finally, we analyze the main clinical applications, limitations and future perspectives of suicide gene therapy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Comparing two strategies of dynamic intensity modulated radiation therapy (dIMRT with 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT in the hypofractionated treatment of high-risk prostate cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yartsev Slav

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background To compare two strategies of dynamic intensity modulated radiation therapy (dIMRT with 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT in the setting of hypofractionated high-risk prostate cancer treatment. Methods 3DCRT and dIMRT/Helical Tomotherapy(HT planning with 10 CT datasets was undertaken to deliver 68 Gy in 25 fractions (prostate and simultaneously delivering 45 Gy in 25 fractions (pelvic lymph node targets in a single phase. The paradigms of pelvic vessel targeting (iliac vessels with margin are used to target pelvic nodes and conformal normal tissue avoidance (treated soft tissues of the pelvis while limiting dose to identified pelvic critical structures were assessed compared to 3DCRT controls. Both dIMRT/HT and 3DCRT solutions were compared to each other using repeated measures ANOVA and post-hoc paired t-tests. Results When compared to conformal pelvic vessel targeting, conformal normal tissue avoidance delivered more homogenous PTV delivery (2/2 t-test comparisons; p dose, 1–3 Gy over 5/10 dose points; p Conclusion dIMRT/HT nodal and pelvic targeting is superior to 3DCRT in dose delivery and critical structure sparing in the setting of hypofractionation for high-risk prostate cancer. The pelvic targeting paradigm is a potential solution to deliver highly conformal pelvic radiation treatment in the setting of nodal location uncertainty in prostate cancer and other pelvic malignancies.

  12. Gene expression profiles in cervical cancer with radiation therapy alone and chemo-radiation therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Kyu Chan; Kim, Joo Young; Hwang, You Jin; Kim, Meyoung Kon; Choi, Myung Sun; Kim, Chul Young

    2003-01-01

    To analyze the gene expression profiles of uterine cervical cancer, and its variation after radiation therapy, with or without concurrent chemotherapy, using a cDNA microarray. Sixteen patients, 8 with squamous cell carcinomas of the uterine cervix, who were treated with radiation alone, and the other 8 treated with concurrent chemo-radiation, were included in the study. Before the starting of the treatment, tumor biopsies were carried out, and the second time biopsies were performed after a radiation dose of 16.2-27 Gy. Three normal cervix tissues were used as a control group. The microarray experiments were performed with 5 groups of the total RNAs extracted individually and then admixed as control, pre-radiation therapy alone, during-radiation therapy alone, pre-chemoradiation therapy, and during chemoradiation therapy. The 33P-labeled cDNAs were synthesized from the total RNAs of each group, by reverse transcription, and then they were hybridized to the cDNA microarray membrane. The gene expression of each microarrays was captured by the intensity of each spot produced by the radioactive isotopes. The pixels per spot were counted with an Arrayguage, and were exported to Microsoft Excel. The data were normalized by the Z transformation, and the comparisons were performed on the Z-ratio values calculated. The expressions of 15 genes, including integrin linked kinase (ILK), CDC28 protein kinase 2, Spry 2, and ERK 3, were increased with the Z-ratio values of over 2.0 for the cervix cancer tissues compared to those for the normal controls. Those genes were involved in cell growth and proliferation, cell cycle control, or signal transduction. The expressions of the other 6 genes, including G protein coupled receptor kinase 6, were decreased with the Z-ratio values of below -2.0. After the radiation therapy, most of the genes, with a previously increase expressions, represented the decreased expression profiles, and the genes, with the Z-ratio values of over 2.0, were

  13. The potential for tumor suppressor gene therapy in head and neck cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Birkeland, Andrew C; Ludwig, Megan L; Spector, Matthew E; Brenner, J Chad

    2016-01-01

    Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma remains a highly morbid and fatal disease. Importantly, genomic sequencing of head and neck cancers has identified frequent mutations in tumor suppressor genes. While targeted therapeutics increasingly are being investigated in head and neck cancer, the majority of these agents are against overactive/overexpressed oncogenes. Therapy to restore lost tumor suppressor gene function remains a key and under-addressed niche in trials for head and neck cancer. Recent advances in gene editing have captured the interest of both the scientific community and the public. As our technology for gene editing and gene expression modulation improves, addressing lost tumor suppressor gene function in head and neck cancers is becoming a reality. This review will summarize new techniques, challenges to implementation, future directions, and ethical ramifications of gene therapy in head and neck cancer.

  14. Nanotechnology-driven cancer therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hosmane, Narayan S.

    2012-01-01

    In recent years, much efforts have been devoted to developing nanomaterials-based boron drugs for neutron capture therapy (NCT) and to date, a majority of the studies have proved reasonably promising. Conversely, further in vivo studies and clinical trails are needed to establish them as appropriate boron carriers; this is especially so with the relatively novel boron nanotubes and magnetic nanoparticles. More advanced forms of boron nanotubes can be anticipated as much interest in their synthesis as their future applications. Thus, boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a promising treatment for malignant brain tumors as well as for other types of cancers, such as, liver, prostate, bladder, breasts, head and neck tumors. Current research focuses on both the design and synthesis of high boron containing compounds as BNCT agents, and the search for suitable delivery vehicles. To be suitable BNCT agents, the problem of their low water-solubility needs to be resolved by chemical modification. In the case of magnetic nanoparticles, strategies are required to counter their tendency of embolization and their unclear cytotoxicity must be resolved

  15. Late endocrine effects of cancer and cancer therapies in survivors of childhood malignancies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marques, Pedro; Van Huellen, Hans; Fitzpatrick, Ailbhe; Druce, Maralyn

    2016-03-01

    The development of several cancer treatment modalities including surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy has improved the survival rates of childhood cancers over recent decades, leading to an increase in the population of childhood cancer survivors. Detailed epidemiological studies have demonstrated that childhood cancer survivors frequently develop medical complications months or years after cancer treatment. Endocrine complications are common in survivors, particularly those exposed to radiotherapy, total body irradiation and alkylating agents, and may involve dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary axes, gonads, thyroid gland, bone and body composition as well as metabolic abnormalities. Early identification and proper management of these disorders can significantly improve the quality of life and reduce the morbidity and potentially mortality in this population. Multidisciplinary teams, expert physicians and the development of healthcare structures are key elements for improving the screening, surveillance, cost effectiveness and overall management of endocrine late effects of cancer therapies in childhood cancer survivors. The aim of the present review was to discuss the most important and common late endocrine effects of childhood cancer treatment.

  16. A Bayesian network meta-analysis on second-line systemic therapy in advanced gastric cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Xiaofu; Ko, Yoo-Joung; Berry, Scott; Shah, Keya; Lee, Esther; Chan, Kelvin

    2017-07-01

    It is unclear which regimen is the most efficacious among the available therapies for advanced gastric cancer in the second-line setting. We performed a network meta-analysis to determine their relative benefits. We conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) through the MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases and American Society of Clinical Oncology abstracts up to June 2014 to identify phase III RCTs on advanced gastric cancer in the second-line setting. Overall survival (OS) data were the primary outcome of interest. Hazard ratios (HRs) were extracted from the publications on the basis of reported values or were extracted from survival curves by established methods. A Bayesian network meta-analysis was performed with WinBUGS to compare all regimens simultaneously. Eight RCTs (2439 patients) were identified and contained extractable data for quantitative analysis. Network meta-analysis showed that paclitaxel plus ramucirumab was superior to single-agent ramucirumab [OS HR 0.51, 95 % credible region (CR) 0.30-0.86], paclitaxel (OS HR 0.81, 95 % CR 0.68-0.96), docetaxel (OS HR 0.56, 95 % CR 0.33-0.94), and irinotecan (OS HR 0.71, 95 % CR 0.52-0.99). Paclitaxel plus ramucirumab also had an 89 % probability of being the best regimen among all these regimens. Single-agent ramucirumab, paclitaxel, docetaxel, and irinotecan were comparable to each other with respect to OS and were superior to best supportive care. This is the first network meta-analysis to compare all second-line regimens reported in phase III gastric cancer trials. The results suggest the paclitaxel plus ramucirumab combination is the most effective therapy and should be the reference regimen for future comparative trials.

  17. Epigallocatechin Gallate Nanodelivery Systems for Cancer Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andreia Granja

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality all over the world. Conventional treatments, such as chemotherapy, are generally expensive, highly toxic and lack efficiency. Cancer chemoprevention using phytochemicals is emerging as a promising approach for the treatment of early carcinogenic processes. (−-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG is the major bioactive constituent in green tea with numerous health benefits including anti-cancer activity, which has been intensively studied. Besides its potential for chemoprevention, EGCG has also been shown to synergize with common anti-cancer agents, which makes it a suitable adjuvant in chemotherapy. However, limitations in terms of stability and bioavailability have hampered its application in clinical settings. Nanotechnology may have an important role in improving the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics of EGCG. Indeed, several studies have already reported the use of nanoparticles as delivery vehicles of EGCG for cancer therapy. The aim of this article is to discuss the EGCG molecule and its associated health benefits, particularly its anti-cancer activity and provide an overview of the studies that have employed nanotechnology strategies to enhance EGCG’s properties and potentiate its anti-tumoral activity.

  18. Late adverse effects of radiation therapy for rectal cancer - a systematic overview

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Birgisson, Helgi; Paahlman, Lars; Gunnarsson, Ulf; Glimelius, Bengt

    2007-01-01

    Purpose. The use of radiation therapy (RT) together with improvement in the surgical treatment of rectal cancer improves survival and reduces the risk for local recurrences. Despite these benefits, the adverse effects of radiation therapy limit its use. The aim of this review was to present a comprehensive overview of published studies on late adverse effects related to the RT for rectal cancer. Methods. Meta-analyses, reviews, randomised clinical trials, cohort studies and case-control studies on late adverse effects, due to pre- or postoperative radiation therapy and chemo-radiotherapy for rectal cancer, were systematically searched. Most information was obtained from the randomised trials, especially those comparing preoperative short-course 5x5 Gy radiation therapy with surgery alone. Results. The late adverse effects due to RT were bowel obstructions; bowel dysfunction presented as faecal incontinence to gas, loose or solid stools, evacuation problems or urgency; and sexual dysfunction. However, fewer late adverse effects were reported in recent studies, which generally used smaller irradiated volumes and better irradiation techniques; although, one study revealed an increased risk for secondary cancers in irradiated patients. Conclusions. These results stress the importance of careful patient selection for RT for rectal cancer. Improvements in the radiation technique should further be developed and the long-term follow-up of the randomised trials is the most important source of information on late adverse effects and should therefore be continued

  19. Erythrocyte membrane-coated gold nanocages for targeted photothermal and chemical cancer therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Dao-Ming; Xie, Wei; Xiao, Yu-Sha; Suo, Meng; Zan, Ming-Hui; Liao, Qing-Quan; Hu, Xue-Jia; Chen, Li-Ben; Chen, Bei; Wu, Wen-Tao; Ji, Li-Wei; Huang, Hui-Ming; Guo, Shi-Shang; Zhao, Xing-Zhong; Liu, Quan-Yan; Liu, Wei

    2018-02-01

    Recently, red blood cell (RBC) membrane-coated nanoparticles have attracted much attention because of their excellent immune escapability; meanwhile, gold nanocages (AuNs) have been extensively used for cancer therapy due to their photothermal effect and drug delivery capability. The combination of the RBC membrane coating and AuNs may provide an effective approach for targeted cancer therapy. However, few reports have shown the utilization of combining these two technologies. Here, we design erythrocyte membrane-coated gold nanocages for targeted photothermal and chemical cancer therapy. First, anti-EpCam antibodies were used to modify the RBC membranes to target 4T1 cancer cells. Second, the antitumor drug paclitaxel (PTX) was encapsulated into AuNs. Then, the AuNs were coated with the modified RBC membranes. These new nanoparticles were termed EpCam-RPAuNs. We characterized the capability of the EpCam-RPAuNs for selective tumor targeting via exposure to near-infrared irradiation. The experimental results demonstrate that EpCam-RPAuNs can effectively generate hyperthermia and precisely deliver the antitumor drug PTX to targeted cells. We also validated the biocompatibility of the EpCam-RAuNs in vitro. By combining the molecularly modified targeting RBC membrane and AuNs, our approach provides a new way to design biomimetic nanoparticles to enhance the surface functionality of nanoparticles. We believe that EpCam-RPAuNs can be potentially applied for cancer diagnoses and therapies.

  20. Late adverse effects of radiation therapy for rectal cancer - a systematic overview

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Birgisson, Helgi; Paahlman, Lars; Gunnarsson, Ulf [Dept. of Surgery, Univ. Hospital, Univ. of Uppsala, Uppsala (Sweden); Glimelius, Bengt [Dept. of Oncology, Radiology and Clinical Immunology, Univ. Hospital, Univ. of Uppsala, Uppsala (Sweden); Dept. of Oncology and Pathology, Karolinska Inst., Stockholm (Sweden)

    2007-05-15

    Purpose. The use of radiation therapy (RT) together with improvement in the surgical treatment of rectal cancer improves survival and reduces the risk for local recurrences. Despite these benefits, the adverse effects of radiation therapy limit its use. The aim of this review was to present a comprehensive overview of published studies on late adverse effects related to the RT for rectal cancer. Methods. Meta-analyses, reviews, randomised clinical trials, cohort studies and case-control studies on late adverse effects, due to pre- or postoperative radiation therapy and chemo-radiotherapy for rectal cancer, were systematically searched. Most information was obtained from the randomised trials, especially those comparing preoperative short-course 5x5 Gy radiation therapy with surgery alone. Results. The late adverse effects due to RT were bowel obstructions; bowel dysfunction presented as faecal incontinence to gas, loose or solid stools, evacuation problems or urgency; and sexual dysfunction. However, fewer late adverse effects were reported in recent studies, which generally used smaller irradiated volumes and better irradiation techniques; although, one study revealed an increased risk for secondary cancers in irradiated patients. Conclusions. These results stress the importance of careful patient selection for RT for rectal cancer. Improvements in the radiation technique should further be developed and the long-term follow-up of the randomised trials is the most important source of information on late adverse effects and should therefore be continued.