Working Nights Associated With Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer

In a report in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, a study notes that women working rotating night shifts have a risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

The study conducted by an international team of researchers covered 74,862 US nurses and 22 years of data as basis for their study. They note that the longer the nurses work in rotating night shifts, the higher the increase in all-cause and CVD mortality. For the study, rotating shift work is defined as working at least three nights per month in addition to days or evenings in that month

Working nights disrupts the body's circadian system, which is an internal mechanism that schedules regular body activities based on a 24 hour period. This system, together with sleep, maintains the body's cardiovascular health and antitumor activity. Because of the nature of working nights, this activity directly impacts the circadian system and increases the risk of cancer and CVD, leading to higher mortality.

In 2007 the World Health Organization classified night shift work as a probable carcinogen due to circadian disruption.

Transcription Factor Discovery Opens Up New Therapies For Glioblastoma Multiforme

Researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have identified four transcription factors that distinguishes glioblastoma cells.

The four transcription factors identified were POU3F2, SOX2, SALL2 and OLIG2.

Transcription factors are proteins that regulates the expression of other genes. In this case, the transcription factors can zero in on a small ratio of glioblastoma cells responsible for the aggressiveness and treatment resistance of the deadly brain tumor.

A glioma is a tumor that commonly starts in the brain but can also manifest in the spine. These gliomas are categorized into grades from Grade I to Grade IV. Glioblastoma Multiforme is the most aggressive and deadly and is classified as a Grade IV Glioma.

Glioblastoma multiforme or GBM is the deadliest brain cancer around. It is also the most common. A patient diagnosed with GBM usually has one to two years to live.

By knowing the transcription factors responsible for the glioblastoma cells, therapies can be modeled that would target these factors. This discovery opens up the opportunity of finding new and alternative ways of treating this extremely difficult disease.

Selenium and Vitamin E Increase Risk of Prostate Cancer, Study Finds

A study led by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center find that high dose supplementation of selenium and vitamin E increases the risk of prostate cancer.

Data for the study is based on the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial. It is a clinical trial funded by the National Cancer Institute to see if either of the two substances can help prevent prostate cancer when taken as dietary supplements

The study which started in 2001 involved 35,000 men find that 17 percent of men who took vitamin E had an increased risk of prostate cancer. Men with high baseline selenium levels increased cancer risk by 91% by taking selenium supplements. For those with low selenium levels, taking vitamin E supplements increased their prostate cancer risk 63 percent and an increased risk for high-grade cancer by 111 percent.

Selenium is naturally present in many foods and is also available as a dietary supplement. It is used by the body in reproduction, thyroid hormone metabolism, DNA synthesis, and protection from oxidative damage and infection. Seafoods and organ meats are good sources of selenium as well as muscle meats, cereals and other grains, and dairy products.

The study advises that men 55 years old and older should should avoid Vitamin E and Selenium supplementation above the recommended daily dietary intakes; 55 mcg for selenium and 15 mg for vitamin E.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. Each year, there are about 300,000 men diagnosed with prostate cancer in the U.S.

Major Advances in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Presented At Annual ASH Meeting

Major advances in transplant techniques, strategies, and technologies involving Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSC) were presented at the 55th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition in New Orleans.

Stem cells are special cells in the body that can differentiate into a higher form of cells such as cell tissues and organs. There are different types of stem cells that are associated with a biological system such as heart stem cells. Pluripotent stem cells are cells that can differentiate into any type of cell regardless of origin.

Hematopoietic stem cells are stem cells that comes from the bone marrow and in infants, in the umbilical cord blood, in an embryo or in peripheral blood in the human body. These stem cells can differentiate into many different types of blood cells such as erythrocytes, basophils, neutrophils and B-lymphocytes. Hematopoietic stem cells can also stop proliferating when it is unneeded.

HSCs (Hematopoietic Stem Cells) are used in treating blood based diseases such as lymphoma and leukemia. HSCs are transplanted to a patient after radiation therapy or chemotherapy to help the patient in recovering from the treatment. These cells either come from a matching donor ,a bone marrow transplant or harvesting the cells from the patient before the treatment

The studies presented advances in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) has addressed risks involving the procedure such as donor blood rejection and regression.

Presentations during the annual meeting include:

• Encouraging Outcomes in Older Patients (Pts) Following Nonmyeloablative (NMA) Haploidentical Blood or Marrow Transplantation (haploBMT) With High-Dose Posttransplantation Cyclophosphamide (PT/Cy)
• Equality of Access to Transplant for Ethnic Minority Patients Through Use of Cord Blood and Haploidentical Transplants
• Full-Intensity Transplantation and Short Telomeres Increase the Risk of Cognitive Impairment After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) – Results of a Prospective Longitudinal Study
• Donor-Derived Anti-CD19 Chimeric-Antigen-Receptor-Expressing T Cells Cause Regression of Malignancy Persisting After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

These are summarized below. Links to the individual presentations can be found in the Related Links section.

Genetic Discovery Hints at Hereditary Risk of Esophageal Cancer and Barrett's Esophagus

Researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Australia studied the DNA samples and medical data of more than 8,000 patients and have found four genetic variants in DNA that is associated with increased risk of esophageal cancer and Barrett's esophagus.

Barrett's esophagus is a disorder in which the lining of the esophagus (the tube that carries food from the throat to the stomach) is damaged by stomach acid and changed to a lining similar to that of the stomach. There is a small chance that people afflicted with Barrett's esophagus develop esophageal cancer.

Previously, esophageal cancer and its precursor, Barrett's esophagus are blamed on factors such as obesity, gastroesophageal reflux , smoking and an unhealthy diet. This latest discovery hints that the disease can also be hereditary.

Miracle Anti Cancer Molecule JQ1 Found To Also Protect and Treat Heart Failure

A protein molecule previously known to have anti-cancer properties have recently been discovered to also be able to treat and protect against heart failure.

JQ1, initially developed as a male contraceptive drug, has shown potential to treat cancer and even HIV. It does this by inhibiting cells from behaving abnormally (as shown on the embedded video).

JQ1 attacks by targeting the BRD4 cancer-causing gene. Studies show that for specific blood and lung cancers like myeloma and leukemia, JQ1 mitigates the early growth of the cancerous cells.

The same researchers have also recently discovered that JQ1 also inhibits the growth of bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) proteins. BET proteins are responsible in activating genes that contribute to heart failure.

Irreversible Electroporation (IRE) Treatment of Cancer Discussed In Interventional Radiology Gathering

Preliminary studies on the safe benefits of using irreversible electroporation (IRE) in treating cancer are being discussed by doctors and scientists at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 38th Annual Scientific Meeting in New Orleans.

Irreversible Electroporation (IRE) is a technique used to teat soft tissue tumors in hard to access areas of the body such as the liver, lung, pancreas, and prostate.

Using electrical energy to target cancerous tumors at the cellular level, irreverssible electroporation is one of the safest options for patients whose tumors may be located in compromised areas such as those near blood vessels or hard to reach organs such as the pancreas.

Electrical pulses are used to break open the cellular walls of the tumor causing the cancer cells to die. IRE does not produce any extreme temperatures (hot or cold) but utitlizes the generated electrical field making it safer. It also selectively damage particular cells leaving other healthy cells intact and undamaged. Irreversible electroporation is a viable option in the treatment of complicated cancer conditions such as liver cancer, lung cancer and pancreatic cancer without any major complications.

IRE has been successfully used in the treatment of primary and metastatic liver cancer and is now in its early stages as a treatment for pancreatic cancer.

Early Detection of Pancreatic Cancer Through Metabolomic Analysis

A diagnostic test based on metabolites, bio-molecules produced during biological processes, has been developed that can be used as to detect pancreatic cancer in its early stages.

The pancreas is the organ responsible for producing and releasing enzymes needed in the absorption of food. It is also the organ where insulin and glucagon (hormones that help regulate the body's blood sugar) are made.

The pancreas is a long gland located behind the abdomen. Detecting and diagnosing pancreatic cancer is difficult because of the organ's location. Early stages of the cancer does not cause any symptoms and the middle stage symptoms are usually varied and non-specific. Only in its later stages that pancreatic cancer is diagnosed.

Metabolomics is the science of determining the metabolome of a biological sample. Metabolomes are the collection of small organic molecules in a cell. Metabolomes represent the collection of all metabolites in a biological cell, tissue, organ or organism and are the result of cellular processes. Researchers have developed a way to use metabolimic analysis to detect early stages of pancreatic cancer.

On a related note, a 15 year old student from Maryland recently won the $75,000 top science prize for discovering a simple pancreatic test that is 90% effective (see embedded video).

Possible Treatment of Leukemia Using Monoclonal Antibodies To Target and Destroy Leukemia Cells

Leukemia Cells

Researchers have identified an antibody that specifically targets and destroys leukemia cells while ignoring normal blood cells.

Leukemia is a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow. The disease causes an abnormal increase of white blood cells and causes abnormalities in the blood, the bone marrow and the lymphoid system.

Leukemia starts in the bone marrow where blood cells are produced.

The abnormal white blood cells grow faster than normal cells and does not stop growing. Over time, these leukemia cells start to crowd out the normal blood cells which results in complications such as anemia (a decrease in the number of red blood cells), bleeding, and infections. Leukemia cells can also spread to the lymph nodes or other organs and cause swelling or pain.

10% of leukemia affect newly born babies known as Infant Leukemia.

On a related note, another possible treatment for leukemia has been discovered. Memorial Sloan-Kettering researchers modified an anti-body cell with a virus that enabled it to also target and kill leukemia cells. In a clinical trial, a patient was found to be free of leukemia cells after only eight days of treatment (see embedded video).

Using 5 ALA Fluorescence in Surgical Treatment of Glioblastoma Multiforme

The University of California San Francisco describes the use of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) fluorescence to aid in visualizing tumor cells and differentiating them from other brain tissue during the surgical treatment of Glioblastoma Multiforme.

5-Aminolevulinic Acid (5-ALA) makes brain tumor cells glow hot pink when illuminated with a special blue light incorporated into an operating microscope during surgery. The light helps to identify and remove tumor cells in a process called Fluorescent Guided Resection (FGR).

Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is the most common and also the deadliest of brain cancers around. This form of cancer is very aggressive and a patient diagnosed with GBM has one to two years to live.

The cancerous tumor, called a glioma, starts in the brain or the spine. These gliomas are graded I to IV depending on how advanced the disease is. A Grade I GBM is the least advanced and offers the best prognosis. A Grade IV GBM is considered the most advanced and the hardest to treat.

Gliomas are groups of tumors that arise from the glia. Glias are non-neuronal cells that maintain homeostasis. They form myelin (a protective layer of cells), and provide support and protection for neurons in the brain within the central nervous system (CNS).

Behavioral Stress Accelerates Prostate Cancer Development

Two studies in the Journal of Clinical Investigation focus on behavioral stress and its effect on prostate cancer. The studies show that stress accelerates prostate cancer.

A vicious circle of stress signaling in prostate cancer.
Credit: Kulik et al., JCI

One definition of stress by the American Psychological Association (APA) is that it is any "stress is any uncomfortable emotional experience accompanied by predictable biochemical, physiological and behavioral changes.”

There are three kinds of stress according to the APA, Acute Stress, Episodic Acute Stress, and Chronic Stress. Of the three, acute stress is the most common. This is the type of stress felt from the demands and pressures everyday situations, from the recent past to the near future.

Episodic Acute Stress is similar to acute stress but is felt by the person more frequently. People who worry too much, pessimists, disorganized, or are always in a rush are some of the types who experience this type of stress.

Chronic stress is felt by people who do see any hope in their situation and have given up searching for solutions. It is a type of stress that is long term and wears down people the longer it stays. A problem with chronic stress is that it is deep-rooted in one's psyche that people get used to it and forget that it's there.

Psychoneuroimmunology studies show that there is a correlation between one's psychological behavior and the nervous and immune systems of the human body. People who suffer chronic stress or even the other two types of stress (in a minor way) may affect one's health and well-being.

Non-Chemotherapy Treatment of Lymphoma Through HDL Cholesterol Deprivation and Nanoparticles

Lymphatic System

Researchers have discovered a new treatment for lymphoma that does not include drugs or chemotherapy. Researchers at Northwestern Medicine® found that by depriving the lymphoma cell its source of food, which is HDL cholesterol, it will end up starving to death.

Lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic or lymph system.

The lymphatic system, a major part of the immune system, is a network of organs, lymph nodes, lymph ducts, and lymph vessels in the body. It moves lymph from tissues to the bloodstream. It filters the blood and help form immunity in children.

Lymph is a clear watery fluid that carries oxygen and other nutrients to cellular tissues in the body. It also contains white blood cells that attack harmful bacteria and fight infections.

Lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects lymphocytes (a type of white blood cells). Lymphocytes become abnormal start behaving erratically. These affected lymphocytes may start to multiply faster or live longer than usual (lymphocytes die after an infection has been eradicated).

Because the lymph system circulates around the whole body, lymphoma happens in multiple locations in the body unlike other cancers where it is isolated in one location or organ.

Typically, lymphoma presents as a solid tumor of lymphoid cells. Treatment might involve chemotherapy and in some cases radiotherapy and/or bone marrow transplantation, and can be curable depending on the histology, type, and stage of the disease

There are two major types of lymphoma; Hodgkin's and Non-Hodgkin's. These 2 types of lymphomas behave, spread, and respond to treatment differently.

Treating Cancer With Killer T Cells Produced From Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPS)

Japanese researchers at Riken have successfully created cells that will specifically attack cancer cells. These Killer T cells or lymphocytes were developed from induced pluripotent stem cells.

Stem Cells

Stem cells are cells that can differentiate (transform) into other type of cells, usually a higher form such as tissues and organs. There are specialized stem cells such as heart stem cells or blood stem cells that differentiates into specific type of cells.

Stem cells that can differentiate into other type of cells are called pluripotent stem cells. These are usually found in human embryos and what is generally known to the public as stem cells.

Scientists have recently discovered a method to convert an adult stem cell (whose differentiation is limited to certain types of tissues/organs) into a pluripotent stem cell. These are called Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell (iPS). iPS cells are special in that it circumvents the controversy on harvesting stem cells from human embryos.

Killer T Cells

White blood cells or leukocytes are cells used by the immune system in attacking foreign and harmful cells. A subgroup of leukocytes are lymphocytes or killer t-cells.

Killer T cells are responsible for identifying and attacking infected cells. But when it comes to cancer cells, killer t-cells are not as efficient in weeding out these harmful cells. For one, some cancer cells have a property that prevents if from being attacked by killer t-cells. Another is that, lymphocytes have a short life span that proves ineffective in a prolonged fight.

Cancer Stem Cells From Kidney Tumors Promises New Therapy In Treating The Disease

Cancer stem cells isolated from kidney tumors may give rise to new and effective treatments in treating aggressive forms of the disease.

Stem cell technology has been gaining wide attention because of its potential to treat diseases and conditions that with conventional methods are difficult even impossible. This technology is centered on embryonic and pluripotent stem cells. These are cells that have the capability to differentiate (transform) into various other cells and even organs.

But aside from these type of stem cells, there are other kinds of stem cells around.

There are blood stem cells (hematopoietic stem cells) that resupplies blood cells. There are also heart stem cells recently discovered that are responsible for heart tissues. Even the skin has stem cells.

These stem cells are limited to the organ it is associated with. There are procedures that can transform them back to its pluripotent stage but that technology is still in its early stages.

Cancer Stem Cells

There are also cancer stem cells (CSC). These behave the same way as stem cells do but instead of building back healthy tissues, these are responsible for creating cancer tumors. They are tumor forming stem cells (tumorigenic).

CSCs may generate tumors through the stem cell processes of self-renewal and differentiation into multiple cell types. They are present in tumors and may cause a relapse in the disease and even be responsible for metastisis (growth and propagation of cancer tumors in other parts of the body).

Fungi Produces Nanoparticles That Can Help Fight Cancer Cells

Researchers have discovered that nanoparticles produced by the fungi, Arthrobotrys oligospora, can stimulate the body's immune system and kill cancer cells. This may lead to the development of bio-engineered nanostructures that can be used to treat cancer and other biomedical functions.

Arthrobotrys oligospora is a fungus that feeds on roundworms. A. oligospora uses rings that form on it long, branching filamentous structure called a hyphae. These rings on the hyphae trap the roundworm which then grows into the roundworm to digest it.

There are 71 species of the Arthrobotrys genus which are all predatory fungi.

These fungi are considered carnivorous and can be found in various surfaces or substrates such as compost, decomposing wood and animal droppings. The traps used of the A. oligospora are made up of adhesive networks, adhesive knobs, and constricting rings.

Study On Beginnings Of Pancreatic Cancer Lead To Early Detection and Treatment

Researchers are studying the events leading to the formation of tumors in pancreatic cancer to understand the beginnings of the disease. This may lead to early detection and treatment of the disease.

Pancreatic Carcinoma (cancer of the pancreas) is one of the most difficult of cancers to treat. This type of cancer is usually detected in its later stages making recovery from it difficult to impossible.

The pancreas is a long gland that secretes digestive enzymes and the hormones insulin and glucagon. What makes detection for cancer of the pancreas difficult is that the gland is located behind the abdomen which is difficult for instruments to get to for observation.

Most of the symptoms for pancreatic cancer is nondescript such as mild pain, weight loss, fatigue and weakness, and loss of appetite. It is only when the symptoms progress that the disease is evident. One telling symptom is jaundice which is a yellowing of the eyes and skin. This happens because the bile duct is being blocked by the cancer.

Shear Thinning Hydrogels Developed For Cancer Treatment

Graphic: Christine Daniloff

Gels that can be injected into the body, carrying drugs or cells that regenerate damaged tissue, hold promise for treating many types of disease, including cancer. However, these injectable gels don’t always maintain their solid structure once inside the body.

MIT chemical engineers have now designed an injectable gel that responds to the body’s high temperature by forming a reinforcing network that makes the gel much more durable, allowing it to function over a longer period of time.

The research team, led by Bradley Olsen, an assistant professor of chemical engineering, described the new gels in a recent issue of the journal Advanced Functional Materials. Lead author of the paper is Matthew Glassman, a graduate student in Olsen’s lab. Jacqueline Chan, a former visiting student at MIT, is also an author.

Clinical Trial Shows GSK2256098 Prevents Spread of Mesothelioma For Patients With Inactive NF2 Gene

A preliminary clinical trial shows that a new drug, GSK2256098 was successful in preventing the spread of mesothelioma in patients with an inactive NF2 gene.

Mesothelioma (also known as Malignant Mesothelioma) is a cancer that occurs in the mesothelium. The mesothelium is the layer of tissue covering the body's internal organs. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer but is aggressive and deadly. There is no known cure for this.

This type of cancer is primarily caused by inhaling asbestos particles. Most of the time, the disease starts in the lungs but there are instances that the cancer forms in the heart, abdomen and other areas of the body.

MIT News: Understanding Tumor Metastasis, Cancer, And Cellular Adhesion

A microscopic image of cancer cells adhering to a spot coated with molecules found in the extracellular matrix.
Image: Nathan Reticker-Flynn

Cancer researchers at MIT are focusing their attention on how tumor metastasis occurs. Metastasis is the spread of the tumor to other parts of the body and is the primary reason for ninety percent of all cancer deaths. Their findings are published in the October issue of Nature Communications.

When a tumor metastasize, cancerous cells detach from the primary tumor and spread to other organs through the blood stream. The team of researchers headed by Sangeeta Bhatia, the John and Dorothy Wilson Professor of Health Sciences and Technology and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, are studying how the anchoring process works within the tumor.

“As cancer cells become more metastatic, there can be a loss of adhesion to normal tissue structures. Then, as they become more aggressive, they gain the ability to stick to, and grow on, molecules that are not normally found in healthy tissues but are found in sites of tumor metastases,” says Bhatia, who is also a member of the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT. “If we can prevent them from growing at these new sites, we may be able to interfere with metastatic disease.”

Cells bind itself to a tissue surface or extracellular matrix because of cell adhesion. The extracellular matrix is a structural support system that holds cells in place and also regulates its behavior. On the surface of the matrix are cell adhesion molecules such as the protein Integrin that anchor the cells in place. Integrins can communicate with the cellular matrix both ways, meaning it can send signals from the matrix environment to the matrix and vice-versa.

The scientists tested eight hundred different protein pairs to find out how the cells will bind to them. They noticed that one pair of extracellular matrix molecules that metastatic tumors stuck to especially well was fibronectin and galectin-3, both made of proteins that contain or bind to sugars. Integrin works especially well with fibronectin.

Treating Kaposi's Sarcoma Through Blocking of Sugar Binding Protein Galectin-1

Kaposi's sarcoma is a cancerous tumor caused by the human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8). KS as it is usually called is also known as Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV).

Kaposi's Sarcoma is named after Hungarian dermatologist Moritz Kaposi who discovered the disease in 1872.

The tumors appear bluish-red or as purple bumps on the skin. They first appear in the feet or ankles, thighs, arms, hands, and face. Kaposi's Sarcoma tumors can also manifest in other parts of the body as well. Sometimes, the tumors appear inside the body such as in the lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and other organs.

In the 1980's when AIDS first appeared, Kaposi's sarcoma was often associated with it. AIDS related KS is caused by the interaction between the Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a weakened immune system, and HHV-8. Treatment of KS in AIDS patients does not affect the chance of survival from AIDS.

Unlike other cancers, the cause of Kaposi's Sarcoma has been positively identified. The virus, HHV-8, is transmitted by the exchange of saliva between an infected person and an uninfected one. It can also be acquired through organ transplantation and to a lesser extent, blood transfusion.

There is no cure for KS but the disease can be slowed down. Antiviral therapy, chemotherapy, crytherapy (freezing), and radiation therapy are some of the treatments used to managed KS but this does not guarantee that an outbreak of lesions will not happen.

Sugar-free approach to treating Kaposi sarcoma

A sugar-loving protein drives the growth of Kaposi sarcoma (KS) tumors, according to a study published on October 1st in The Journal of Experimental Medicine. Interfering with these sugary interactions inhibited growth of Kaposi sarcomas in mice, hinting at the potential for new treatment strategies in humans.