Cancer Research Journal » Cancer Genetics

Genetic Six-Pack Could Cause Common Leukemia

Lisa — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:12:22 +0000

Researchers at The Institute of Cancer Research in the United Kingdom have discovered evidence that a combination of low-risk genes increase a person’s risk of developing chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the most common form of leukemia in the developed world. CLL will be diagnosed in approximately 10,000 Americans this year.

Close relatives of CLL patients are seven times likelier to develop the blood cancer than the general population. However, unlike the BRCA genes associated with breast cancer, scientists have been unable to locate a specific gene which identifies those at higher risk for CLL.

Instead of isolating one specific gene, Professor Robert Houlston and his team at The Institute of Cancer Research found a combination of six genes put patients at risk for CLL. The genes appeared to have only a marginal effect when passed on individually, but when all six genetic sequences were present the risk increased significantly.

Experts say the team’s findings may lead to more effective therapies and screening for CLL. As one doctor said,

“This finding is very exciting as it carries the possibility of improving treatments for individuals who we know are at risk of developing this leukaemia. Clinical applications are still a little while away but this is a very important step forward in understanding the basis of this common leukaemia.”

Dr David Grant
Scientific Consultant, Leukaemia Research

If you’d like to learn more, the study has been published in the August 31, 2008, online edition of the journal Nature Genetics.

If you’re a patient in the US with questions about CLL, you can visit the American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org or the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society at www.leukemia-lymphoma.org.

Source: The Institute of Cancer Research (UK)

Technorati Tags: genomics; hematologic malignancy; hereditary cancers; oncology

Brookhaven Finds Faster Way to Tag Formaldehyde

Lisa — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 03:27:31 +0000

Cancer researchers often use PET scanners to study chemical interactions taking place inside the human body. To conduct these investigations, scientists attach radioactive tags to common chemicals found in the body then monitor their movements using PET technology.

These radioactive tags, commonly called radiotracers, have greatly advanced the understanding of cancer and other diseases in recent years, but limitations in existing radiotracers have kept some PET research from moving forward.

In some cases, no methods have been found for tagging molecules scientists need to study. In other scenarios, the tagging process is so time-consuming that the carbon-11 used to create radiotracers decays before PET scans can be completed (Carbon-11’s radioactive signal decreases by half every 20.4 minutes – when the signal becomes too weak, the tags are longer visible on PET scans).

To help solve these problems, scientists at the US Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory came up with a faster, simpler way to tag formaldehyde. The process uses inexpensive, commercially-available starting ingredients, requires only basic equipment, and allows radiotracer production to be completed faster so carbon-11 signals are still strong enough to be detected when the human subject is placed in the PET.

Since formaldehyde is involved in many chemical reactions in the body, this innovation will permit scientists to create a whole new class of radiotracers for PET research.

BNL chemist Jacob Hooker led the international team which developed the new method. He is optimistic the technique will one day be used to create compounds that will bind with brain cell receptors. The team is already investigating how new carbon-11 formaldehyde radiotracers can be put to use monitoring the movement of drugs, proteins and enzymes that have an impact on gene expression, a key process in cancer development. As Dr Hooker said,

“…there is a huge need for basic science to develop new strategies for making radiotracers. Our new method is part of that effort. It expands our tool kit of reagents and increases the number and types of compounds we can use to peer into the human body.”

Dr Jacob M. Hooker
Chemist, BNL

If you’d like to learn more this research, it has been published in the July 4, 2008, online edition of Angewandte Chemie International Edition.

Source: Brookhaven National Laboratory News

Berkeley Microarray Makes Cancer Diagnosis Less Costly

Lisa — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 22:30:36 +0000

Scientists at the US Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have invented an innovative microarray technique that has the potential to make cancer detection faster and less expensive.

Berkeley’s technique uses a process called electrostatic repulsion to analyze DNA and RNA assays used to build personalized genetic profiles and to detect cancer, as well as other diseases. In electrostatic repulsion, thousands of electrically-charged microscopic glass beads are dispersed in fluid across the surface of a sample and then the motion of the spheres is measured to reveal specifics about the genes, mutations and pathogens present.

Berkeley Lab reports the technique can be used to analyze millions of DNA sequences at a time and results can be recorded with simple hand-held imaging devices like a cell phone camera. Because this electrostatic method doesn’t require the time-consuming fluorescent labeling or high-power instrumentation used in other microarray techniques, it could provide a cost-effective way for smaller US laboratories, rural health facilities, or clinics in developing countries to conduct cancer screening, genetic profiling, and research. As the leader of the Berkeley project said,

“One of the most amazing things about our electrostatic detection method is that it requires nothing more than the naked eye to read out results that currently require chemical labeling and confocal laser scanners. We believe this technique could revolutionize the use of DNA microarrays for both research and diagnostics.”

Jay T. Groves
Chemist, Physical Biosciences Division
US Dept of Energy Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

The researchers credit physics experiments conducted by Robert Millikan almost 100 years ago with inspiring their discovery.

If you’d like to learn more about this research, the team’s findings have been published in the June 29, 2008, online edition of Nature Biotechnology.

Source: Berkeley Lab News Center

PBS Program Explains DNA Testing for Hereditary Cancers

Lisa — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 01:28:03 +0000

On Wednesday, July 2, 2008, the PBS program NOVA scienceNOW will air a segment on personal DNA testing.

During the show, experts will explain how genetic testing is done and how the results are used to help determine if someone is predisposed to developing cancer, Alzheimer’s, or other hereditary diseases.

Rudolph (Rudy) Tanzi, PhD and David Altshuler, MD, PhD, both from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), will participate in the discussion, as well as Dietrich Stephan, PhD and Elissa Levin, MS, CGC, from Navigenics™.

NOVA scienceNOW is also inviting viewers to ask questions online. Questions will be collected until July 3, 2008, and then turned over to Rudy Tanzi. Tanzi, who is the director of the Genetics and Aging Research Unit at MGH and a professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School, will post his answers to selected questions on July 8, 2008.

To find out which channel in your area will broadcast the program, check the PBS Station Finder.

Source: NOVA scienceNOW – Personal DNA Testing

Technorati Tags: bioethics; BRCA; cancer risk factors; diabetes; genetic counseling; genomics; oncology; preventive medicine

Neighborhood Correlation IDs Ancestry of Cancer Proteins

Lisa — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 23:58:18 +0000

Computational biologists at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) have developed a new tool for understanding the genetic history of multi-domain proteins, a class of proteins that play an important role in cancer development.

Researchers use the ancestry of proteins to predict how genes will function, to map chromosomal regions and to analyze how genes turn on and off. This information is critical to cancer research because proteins impact cell communication and binding so errors in their functioning can cause tumors.

While other computational biologists have already developed methods to identify genes sharing common ancestors, multi-domain proteins continue to present challenges. That’s because these proteins undergo a complex evolutionary process known as domain shuffling which makes their true lineage difficult to determine.

To improve scientists’ understanding of multi-domain proteins, Carnegie Mellon’s team developed a new computational method called Neighborhood Correlation. Neighborhood Correlation uses a statistically-weighted sequence similarity network to identify the ancestral relationships of protein families with greater accuracy.

CMU’s team tested Neighborhood Correlation on 20 protein families whose ancestry was already well established including kinases, the largest multi-domain protein family in the human body. The team was pleased to find the approach worked significantly better than other computational tools in use today. As one member of the CMU team said,

“We needed a completely new approach to determine which multi-domain proteins share a common ancestor and we are the first group to propose such a method. Ours is the first approach to define and analyze common ancestry in a traditional vertical way, even when domain shuffling occurs.”

Dannie Durand
Computational Biologist, CMU

This research was funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.

If you’d like to learn more about Neighborhood Correlation, the findings have been published in the May 16, 2008, online edition of the Public Library of Science (PLoS) Computational Biology, an open-access, peer-reviewed journal of the International Society for Computational Biology.

Source: Carnegie Mellon University Press

KRAS is Key to Choosing Colorectal Cancer Chemotherapy

Lisa — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:41:50 +0000

Some medical experts are predicting it will soon become common practice to test all colorectal cancers for mutations in the KRAS gene prior to choosing a chemotherapy treatment for each patient.

This change in protocol is based on recent studies which show advanced colorectal cancer patients with mutated KRAS genes in their tumors are unlikely to benefit from chemotherapy with Erbitux® (cetuximab) and a similar drug Vectibix® (panitumumab). It is estimated that 30-40 percent of all colorectal cancers carry mutated forms of KRAS.

Findings presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology indicated that only patients with normal KRAS genes improved their progression-free survival rate using Erbitux®. Erbitux® and Vectibix® are both designed to treat cancer by blocking the activity of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) proteins.

Since commercial tests are already available to test for KRAS mutations and other proven treatments exist for colorectal cancer, oncologists who conduct advance testing could spare many patients the side effects of Erbitux® and Vectibux® treatments that would ultimately prove ineffective in treating their form of cancer. As one doctor not involved with this KRAS research said,

“I believe it is now warranted to test all patients being considered for these agents.”

Gail Eckhardt, MD
University of Colorado Denver

If you’d like to learn more, click here to read the complete article
featured in the June 10, 2008, edition of the NCI Cancer Bulletin.

Source: NCI Cancer Bulletin

Technorati Tags: genetic counseling; metastatic cancer; personalized medicine; patient-centered health

Siteman Cancer Center Offers Free Podcasts on iTunes

Lisa — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:05:08 +0000

Would you rather listen to cancer news than read about it? The Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center can help you out.

The Siteman Cancer Center, a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center located at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and the Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, produces an informative audio podcast series called Cancer Connection which you can get free on iTunes.

Siteman offers Cancer Connection at no cost to inform the public about breakthroughs in cancer research, prevention and treatment.

Cancer Connection‘s format lets you hear updates on a variety of cancer-related topics when it’s convenient for you. You can choose to listen to individual episodes on your computer, download the archives on your hard drive to reference later, or transfer them to an iPod / MP3 player to hear while you’re on the go. When I last checked, there were 26 episodes posted in the archives.

Each episode runs about 10 minutes and new ones are being added to iTunes a couple times a month. Recent segments have featured experts on hereditary cancer, pancreatic cancer surgery, and radiation oncology.

If you’d like to find other interesting cancer broadcasts, check out Yale Cancer Center Answers and Mayo Clinic Podcasts.

Source: Siteman Cancer Center News and Events

President Signs Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act

Lisa — Fri, 23 May 2008 11:00:48 +0000

On Wednesday, May 21, 2008, President George W. Bush signed HR 493 into law.

HR 493 is The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, commonly referred to as GINA. It prohibits employers and health insurance companies from discriminating against people with genes that make it more likely they will develop cancer (such as BRCA1 or BRCA2 for breast and ovarian cancers) or other hereditary diseases.

The Act’s passage is being praised by Americans with genetic test results showing they’re genetically predisposed to cancer, as well as those who’ve been afraid to get DNA tests because they feared losing their health insurance.

Cancer advocacy groups and legislators worked for 13 years to get GINA passed, but now that the law’s enacted, there’s more to be done. As one expert said,

“Our challenge now is to make sure that doctors and patients are aware of these new protections so that fear of discrimination never again stands in the way of a decision to take a genetic test that could save a life.”

Kathy Hudson, PhD
Director, Genetics and Public Policy Center
Johns Hopkins University

If you’d like to read more about the potential uses of genetic information, you can click here to visit the Human Genome Project Information page.

Source: C-SPAN

Technorati Tags: pre-vivor; oncology; genetic counseling; family history; cancer prevention; health policy

Oct 7, 2008: PBS Airs Cancer Pre-vivor Documentary

Lisa — Thu, 22 May 2008 11:01:12 +0000

On October 7, 2008, the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) program POV will air a new documentary about the difficult choices faced by women with a family history of cancer.

In the Family chronicles the experiences of filmmaker Joanna Rudnick and several other women whose genes give them a high risk of developing cancer. The cameras follow along as these women decide whether or not to undergo life-changing prophylactic mastectomies and oophorectomies. It also shows how these decisions impact the women’s relationships with their families and significant others.

While I haven’t seen the film in its entirety yet, Rudnick certainly has the right credentials to bring this complex topic to the screen. At 27, genetic tests revealed she had a BRCA mutation which dramatically increases her chances of getting breast and ovarian cancer, she’s earned a master’s degree in Science and Environmental Journalism from Northwestern University, and she’s already been involved with several award-winning documentaries about other compelling topics.

The film has also been getting good reviews from the attendees of FORCE annual conferences (Rudnick has been screening preliminary footage from the film at these meetings over the last few years.) FORCE is the nonprofit organization credited with coining “pre-vivor”, a term describing someone who has a genetic predisposition to cancer, but who hasn’t been diagnosed with the disease.

If you’d like to see a trailer for In the Family, you can view it at http://inthefamily.kartemquin.com/.

Source – FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered Updates

Technorati Tags: oncology; genetic counseling; cancer risk factors; cancer prevention; cancer awareness; women’s health; genomics; gynecologic cancers

Lipidoids Could Deliver RNAi Treatments Directly to Cancer

Lisa — Wed, 07 May 2008 02:03:26 +0000

Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc (NASDAQ: ALNY) have discovered a method which makes it possible to deliver powerful RNA interference (RNAi) therapies directly to the precise location where cancer or viral infections are developing.

RNAi therapies are designed to turn on and off disease-causing genes. Early RNAi studies suggest they have potential for treating a variety of diseases, but further research has been difficult because scientists lacked an effective way to safely deliver the drugs to the targeted tissues.

The team from MIT and Alnylam came up with a technique which allows the high speed production of lipid-like molecules, known as lipidoids. These nanoscale lipidoids are capable of delivering customized RNAi drugs directly to malignant or infected cells.

The lipidoids were already successfully tested in mice, rats, and cynomolgus monkeys and the team hopes to test them in human clinical trials within the next few years. As the study’s senior author said,

“RNA interference is a tool that has a lot of people excited, and one reason for the excitement is that we hope it will provide a new method to control almost any gene in your body.”

Dr Daniel Anderson
David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT

If you’d like to learn more about this discovery, the team’s work has been published as the cover story of the April 2008 edition of Nature Biotechnology.

Source: MIT News