Scientist find end-around method to stop triple-negative breast cancer

A team of scientists has found a new target for triple-negative breast cancer.

Triple-negative breast cancer, which is a particularly aggressive and difficult-to-treat form, earns its name because, unlike other breast cancer subtypes, its cells test negative for estrogen and progesterone receptors, as well as for a gene called HER2. Therefore, it cannot respond to therapies that inhibit cancer-growing signals that come from estrogen, progesterone and HER2.

The only treatment options for triple-negative breast cancer are surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, each of which cause difficult side effects and rarely lead to remission.

Triple-negative breast cancer is also highly variable from patient to patient and even among tumour cells of a single patient, making it difficult to understand and treat. Other breast cancer subtypes are homogeneous, more predictable and treatable.

The researchers are working to study this variability and find an end-around method to stop triple-negative breast cancer, by seeking out unknown or little-understood routes toward shutting down uncoordinated growth.

"We're interested in the variability that's characteristic of triple-negative breast cancer," said the author . "We believe this variability gives clues to how the cancer arises, and clues to treatment possibilities that would exploit the way the tumors are regulated or misregulated as the cells communicate with each other.

The study detailed a possible way to reengage a tumor suppressor protein - Growth Differentiation Factor 11, or GDF11, that they found to be inactivated in triple-negative breast cancer cells.

"Instead of trying to find and target hormones or genes that might promote growth of these tumor cells, as has been successful for other cancer types, we are focusing on a protein in triple-negative tumor cells that normally should inhibit abnormal cell growth, but has been disengaged," he said.

Researchers have found that GDF11 does not mature properly into a bioactive tumor suppressor, as it should normally do, but instead accumulates within cells in a "pre-active" state.

"This is an exciting realization," he said, "because we now can look for ways to remobilize the GDF11 precursor and reengage its normal tumor suppressive activity wherever triple-negative cancer cells reside in the body.

"We're still early in this investigation, but it may be a step in the right direction for getting a handle on ways to target this very difficult to treat breast cancer subtype."


THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.   

PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO VIEW MY BLOG-                      

HTTP:GSEASYRECIPES.BLOGSPOT.COM/
FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                       

HTTP://KNEE REPLACEMENT-STICK CLUB.BLOGSPOT.COM/
FOR CROCHET DESIGNS
HTTP://MY CROCHET CREATIONS.BLOGSPOT.COM

Skin too can be preserved to save burn and accident victims

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.

PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO VIEW MY BLOG-
HTTP:GSEASYRECIPES.BLOGSPOT.COM         

FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG

HTTP://KNEE REPLACEMENT-STICK CLUB.BLOGSPOT.COM/

FOR CROCHET DESIGNS- http://My Crochet Creations.blogspot.com/

It is not just eyes and blood that can be preserved; the same applies to the skin too. Karnataka got its first skin bank, the sixth in the country, on Wednesday. The unit is at the State-run Victoria Hospital and Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute. Doctors hope that the skin bank may help save the lives of countless burn victims, as harvested skin is the best form of ‘biological dressing’ available today.

The skin is collected within six hours of a person’s death and preserved for future use, after taking consent from the donor’s family. “Without harvested skin, even patients with 50 per cent burns don’t usually survive,” said Smitha Segu, associate professor and head, plastic surgery, Victoria Hospital.

“The main cause of death in accident and burn victims is infection. Grafting artificial or harvested skin on wounds is an effective way to improve healing,” said Dr. Devadass P.K., Dean, Victoria Hospital.

Mahabodhi Burns Centre at Victoria Hospital receives around 160 cases a month.

St. John’s Hospital in Madiwala procures harvested skin from the National Burns Centre, Mumbai, for treatment of severe burn victims. “The skin has to be couriered and reaches the next day. There is the possibility of transit delay,” said Sunderraj Ellur, additional professor, department of plastic reconstructive surgery and burns, St. John’s Hospital.

Although artificial skin is available, it is prohibitively expensive. The government has agreed to fund all skin grafts at the skin bank, which was inaugurated by Minister for Medical Education Sharan Prakash Patil. “A nominal charge may be levied,” said Dr. Segu.

The Rotary Bangalore Midtown and Ashirvad Pipes have funded the infrastructure of the skin bank.

It will take a month for the lab to be sterilised and the first skin harvest to be made. The first specimens will need to be tested for two to three months before the skin is ready for treating patients.