Body | Page 3745 | Science Codex

Digoxin may be a possible treatment for prostate cancer

ORLANDO, Fla. — Scientists have identified digoxin as a possible therapy for prostate cancer, using a combination of laboratory science and epidemiology that is unprecedented in its cooperative nature.

"Epidemiologists and basic scientists often do not understand each other, as we often are only clear on our own strengths and the other's weaknesses," said Elizabeth Platz, Sc.D., M.P.H, professor of epidemiology and the Martin D. Abeloff, M.D., scholar in cancer prevention at Johns Hopkins University.

Heart drug cuts prostate cancer risk; holds potential for therapeutic use

Johns Hopkins scientists and their colleagues paired laboratory and epidemiologic data to find that men using the cardiac drug, digoxin, had a 24 percent lower risk for prostate cancer. The scientists say further research about the discovery may lead to use of the drug, or new ones that work the same way, to treat the cancer.

UCSF team discovers new way to predict breast cancer survival and enhance effectiveness of treatment

A team of researchers at the University of California, San Francisco has discovered a new way to predict breast cancer survival based on an "immune profile" – the relative levels of three types of immune cells within a tumor. Knowing a patient's profile may one day help guide treatment.

Moreover, the UCSF team showed that they could use drugs to alter this immune profile in mice. Giving these drugs to mice, in combination with chemotherapy, significantly slowed tumor growth, blocked metastasis and helped mice live longer, suggesting that the approach may work in people.

PegIFN-lambda shows superior virological response and improved safety than PegIFN-alpha-2a

Berlin, Germany, 02 April 2011: Highly exciting new data presented today at the International Liver CongressTM found Pegylated Interferon-lambda (PegIFN-lambda) shows superior virological response in HCV patients of genotypes 1-4, with improved safety and tolerability, compared to Pegylated Interferon-alpha (PegIFN-alpha-2a), the current standard of care in chronic HCV.1

Quadruple therapy shows 100 percent SVR for HCV patients previously unresponsive to treatment

Berlin, Germany, Saturday 02 April 2011: Exciting new data presented today at the International Liver CongressTM 2011 show that quadruple therapy in chronic hepatitis C (HCV) patients suppressed the emergence of resistant variants and resulted in a 100% rate of sustained virological response - undetectable HCV RNA - 12 weeks after treatment (SVR12).1

The AACR increases focus on clinical trials

ORLANDO, Fla. — The American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting continues to be a showcase for the most cutting edge science in cancer, and this year's meeting, held here April 2-6, will include an increased focus on clinical trials that will impact patient care.

BATTLE researchers identify new biomarkers for EGFR inhibition

ORLANDO, Fla. — Scientists are continuing their work on the Biomarker-integrated Approaches of Targeted Therapy for Lung Cancer Elimination trial — known more commonly as the BATTLE trial — and presented updated results at the AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011, held here April 2-6.

John Heymach, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of thoracic, head and neck medical oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, said this update details the "discovery phase" of the ongoing program.

Combining MEK and PI3K inhibitors appears encouraging in a safety study with early signs of anti-tumor activity

ORLANDO, Fla. — The combination of two compounds that inhibit two of the most frequently mutated cancer pathways is showing promise in an ongoing Phase I trial, according to data presented at the AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011, held here April 2-6.

DNA of 50 breast cancer patients decoded

ORLANDO, Fla. — In one of the largest cancer genomics investigations reported to date, scientists have sequenced the whole genomes of tumors from 50 breast cancer patients and compared them to the matched DNA of the same patients' healthy cells. This comparison allowed researchers to find mutations that only occurred in the cancer cells.

Researchers uncovered incredible complexity in the cancer genomes, but also got a glimpse of new routes toward personalized medicine. The research was presented at the AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011, held April 2-6.

Target for lung cancer chemoprevention identified

ORLANDO, Fla. — Scientists have identified a biomarker for measuring the success of lung cancer chemoprevention, an emerging frontier in the fight against this disease that has long been stymied by a lack of measureable outcomes. These study results were presented at the AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011, held April 2-6.

DNA of 50 breast cancer patients decoded

In the single largest cancer genomics investigation reported to date, scientists have sequenced the whole genomes of tumors from 50 breast cancer patients and compared them to the matched DNA of the same patients' healthy cells. This comparison allowed researchers to find mutations that only occurred in the cancer cells.

They uncovered incredible complexity in the cancer genomes, but also got a glimpse of new routes toward personalized medicine. The work was presented at the American Association for Cancer Research 102nd Annual Meeting 2011.

In vitro infection and replication of hepatitis E virus in human hepatocytes

Groundbreaking data presented today demonstrates, for the first time, in vitro infection and replication of swine hepatitis E virus (HEV) in human hepatocytes.1

This study also verifies that HEV is a zoonosis (infectious disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans), which has been suggested for a long time.

HEV is a major cause of epidemic and acute sporadic hepatitis in many developing countries. It is also endemic in many industrialized countries, including the United States, European countries and Japan.

Entry inhibitors show promise as drugs with new MOA for treatment of HBV and HDV infection

Berlin, Germany, Saturday 02 April 2011: Promising new viral hepatitis data presented today at the International Liver CongressTM show that entry inhibitors --a new mechanism of action for drugs to treat viral hepatitis -- could provide the first new hepatitis B and hepatitis D treatments for many years.1,2

Data suggest liver experts should take care when prescribing novel antiviral HCV drugs

Berlin, Germany, Saturday 02 April 2011: Data presented at the International Liver CongressTM highlight the fact that new novel antiviral compounds for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) must be prescribed and monitored by experts and specialists to ensure resistance is minimised.1,2,3,4,5,6

'Good cholesterol' nanoparticles seek and destroy cancer cells

HOUSTON - High-density lipoprotein's hauls excess cholesterol to the liver for disposal, but new research suggests "good cholesterol" can also act as a special delivery vehicle of destruction for cancer.

Synthetic HDL nanoparticles loaded with small interfering RNA to silence cancer-promoting genes selectively shrunk or destroyed ovarian cancer tumors in mice, a research team led by scientists from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and the University of North Texas Health Science Center reports in the April edition of Neoplasia.