Stand Up To Cancer

An article in today's edition of the New York Times looks at a new method for indentifying drugs that can specifically attack and destroy cancer stem cells. A team at the Broad Institute has developed a way to screen for drugs that can attack cancer stem cells while leaving ordinary cells unharmed, minimizing side effects and helping to determine which combinations of drugs could be most beneficial to patients. If the screening works in this way, one of the researchers says, "There is potential for a real renaissance in cancer therapeutics."
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/14/health/research/14cancer.html?hp

Here's some more good news: according to a recent study in Cancer Research, rates of deaths caused by cancer have been on the decline for the past three decades, especially among those aged 35-45. These statistics reiterate those released by the American Cancer Society last May, but with a fresh twist, breaking down the improvements by age to show that every group has experienced at least some decline in mortality.
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE57C0LW20090813

Meanwhile, the results of a new study indicate that breastfeeding is associated with a lower incidence of breast cancer among those with a family history of the disease. For women with an immediate relative who's had breast cancer, the study found their risk of premenopausal breast cancer was lowered by 59% by breastfeeding. "I was sort of stunned," the study's lead author said. "It's an impressive reduction in risk. Other studies either hadn't looked at this or didn't include enough women with a family history to find a statistically significant difference."
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/11/health/research/11cancer.html

I always enjoy when an exciting new treatment comes from an unexpected place. This week, St. Louis researchers have found a way to treat tumors by attaching a toxin extracted from bee venom to nanoparticles. When mice were treated with the melettin-laced nanoparticles, their tumors shrunk, said the lead researcher. "Not only is it active, remains active in the bloodstream and gets to the site and does what it's supposed to do but it seems to cause absolutely no problems to any tissues or organs," he noted.
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/kwmu/news.newsmain/article/1/0/1542442/KWMU.News/Researchers.use.bee.venom..nanoparticles.to.kill.cancer.cells

Finally, new research out of Montreal indicates that heavy drinkers of beer and liquor have significantly higher risks of developing six different cancers: esophageal, stomach, colon, liver, pancreatic and lung. The link held up even when factors such as age, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, diet and smoking were considered. But no such link was found for non-drinkers, light and moderate drinkers and those who drank wine. In short: pour out your vodka and bring on the cabernet sauvignon!
http://www.vancouversun.com/Study+links+drinking+with+cancer/1857866/story.html

That's all for this week, but I'll be back next Thursday with more from the wide world of cancer news!

--Cat