by Life Credit Company | Mar 23, 2017 | Cancer Research & News
It’s surprising to think that the basis for a pioneering cancer treatment lies at the bottom of the ocean but a new breakthrough to provide assistance for cancer patients suggests just that. When it comes to prostate cancer, the course of treatment is often much different than with other types of cancer. If doctors determine cancerous cells in the prostate are at high risk for spreading, they often will operate to remove the entire prostate gland; though it may be effective, it’s an operation that leaves the patient at risk for complications like impotence or incontinence. Otherwise, if doctors think the cancer is not likely to spread, patients are placed under surveillance. They’ll be monitored frequently to make sure the cancer hasn’t grown or changed, and, even though it may not, the process can be a mentally taxing one. Now, scientists are also considering another option. Researchers at University College London have developed a drug made from bacteria found on the ocean floor. Such bacteria converts light into energy which, in this case, is used to attack cancer cells. The drug is injected directly into the bloodstream and then activated with a laser directed at the prostate. Of 400 men enrolled in the study, the cancer progressed in 58 percent of those under surveillance, compared with 28 percent of men who underwent the new therapy. Scientists suggested that the therapy may offer the most assistance for cancer patients who are in the mid-level range of risk. Though the treatment still has a long way to go before it gets full approval, these are promising results that could revamp the...
by Life Credit Company | Mar 9, 2017 | Cancer Research & News
Many people struggling to control their weight have been taught to follow the guide, “Eat to live, not live to eat.” While that proposal may hold true for those trying to shed some pounds, its spirit can also offer help for cancer patients looking to nourish their body and their health. So, what can cancer patients do to make their dishes more health-friendly? Greens, greens and more greens Most of us heard the value of green veggies since we were young and, though we may have stubbornly refused them, there is significant benefit to incorporating green vegetables into our diets, especially for cancer patients. Vegetables known as “cruciferous,” which offer lots of fiber and vitamins with few calories, are particularly good in fighting cancer. Such veggies include Brussels sprouts, arugula, collard greens and broccoli. According to the National Cancer Institute, cruciferous vegetables include chemicals called glucosinolates, which, when broken down during digestion, have been shown to prevent cancer. Spice it up Adding a few pinches of some additives and spices can infuse a dish with flavor and also provide help for cancer patients’ health. A report in KXLY found that herbs such as thyme, oregano and basil are rich in fatty acids that can target and kill cancer cells. Another common cooking herb, parsley, functions to restrict the delivery of nutrients from blood vessels to the cancer cells, while garlic regulates insulin, which promotes cancer prevention. For dessert, add some ginger or cinnamon, or even top your ice cream with walnuts, all of which have been shown to be effective in preventing or slowing cancer growth (and they taste...
by Life Credit Company | Feb 23, 2017 | Cancer Research & News
The key to cancer care lies in numbers. Data abounds about each person diagnosed with cancer: genetic information, test scores, treatment responses. With any math challenge, answers are most readily found when all the information is presented; a word problem can’t be worked out unless all the factors are included to give a full picture. Currently, the full picture of the fight against cancer isn’t being seen, meaning the potential for assistance for cancer patients is still out of reach. That’s a reality some researchers are hoping to change. There’s been an increased push recently for streamlined data collection about cancer patients. Traditionally, the information has been siloed: Teaching hospitals, research centers, individual practitioners, nonprofit organizations and government agencies all amass and analyze their own data. But that’s prompted some to question, what could happen if all of these thought leaders collaborated? Information-sharing has already been happening, with promising results. The federal Precision Medicine Initiative, which includes leadership from a number of organizers, is collecting genetic information from one million Americans. The goal of the projects is to provide researchers ample opportunity to identify patterns that could lead to breakthroughs in prevention and treatments of conditions like cancer. In the private sector, Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation and Flatiron Health are among the organizations inputting their data on the disease into the Genomic Data Commons, an information-sharing project to fuel research on multiple myeloma. The value of such collaboration isn’t known by many, which has led to such efforts as Harvard Business School’s Kraft Precision Medicine Accelerator. The KPMA strives to raise awareness among medical circles and the general public...
by Life Credit Company | Feb 9, 2017 | Cancer Research & News
The old phrase “even the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry” is welcome news for cancer researchers. A team of scientists recently happened upon an unexpected discovery that could lead to new developments in oncology treatment that provide innovative help for cancer patients. The breakthrough was made by researchers at University of California San Francisco, who were trying out a regimen of drugs called mTOR inhibitors to treat cancer in mice. What they found was that the drugs were able to induce a phenomenon called “suspended animation” in mice embryos, essentially pausing the pregnancy for a number of weeks. The development is similar to a natural process called diapause, which slows down pregnancy when an embryo is lacking proper nutrition. Once the mTOR inhibitors were stopped, the embryos continued to grow and develop into healthy mice. Among the takeaways, researchers think the discovery could provide help for cancer patients by mimicking the diapause process and suppressing the growth of cancer cells. They did, however, note that much more research is needed on this front, as preliminary data suggests that growth of cancer cells can begin again after the mTOR inhibitors are lifted. Cancer isn’t the only area the discovery could affect. Researchers are also looking into its impact on the field of assisted reproduction, as the data suggested the dormant stage created by mTOR inhibitors could be used, instead of freezing, to help doctors test embryos for genetic defects. Even though it was unexpected, the mTOR discovery can revolutionize expectations for cancer treatment. Life Credit CompanyWe are a licensed consumer lender that is dedicated to providing...
by Life Credit Company | Jan 26, 2017 | Cancer Research & News
Many of us were taught from an early age how important it is to avoid viruses — lots of hand washing! However, a new method could offer assistance for cancer patients who are being introduced to viruses in an effort to promote their health. The Institute for Cancer Research in London has unveiled a new approach to cancer treatment that involves injecting specialized viruses directly into the bloodstreams of cancer patients. The virus activates the patient’s immune system and is followed up with an immunotherapy drug; the virus and drug work in tandem to energize the immune system to attack cancer cells. The virus approach is also being used alongside radiotherapy to enhance the body’s ability to fight cancer. Another beneficial byproduct of the virus method, researchers say, is that it can counteract the weakening of the immune system by steroids found in most cancer-fighting treatments. Like many efforts to offer innovative assistance for cancer patients, the approach still must meet layers of regulations before it can be incorporated into common cancer treatments. So far, the only method that has gotten full approval is one in which the virus is injected into a tumor, not into a patient’s bloodstream — an approach that isn’t effective if the cancer has spread. To support the effort to advance this potentially life-saving treatment, the Institute for Cancer Research launched Stand Up To Cancer, which has raised more than $25 million in the last four years. “We hope that our approach of adapting and then injecting the body with immune-activating viruses that seek out and target the cancer could bring effective immunotherapies to...
by Life Credit Company | Jan 12, 2017 | Cancer Research & News
In recent years, DNA — the material that makes each of us tick — has increasingly been studied to reveal everything from ancestry to our risk for certain medical conditions. Now, scientists are exploring our genetic makeup in their quest for innovative ways to develop help for cancer patients. When cancer cells attack our bodies, they do so in part through an enzyme called polymerase, which can help the cells survive DNA damage. Researchers at Johns Hopkins and University of Maryland have proposed a new cancer treatment using a combination of the drugs talazoparib and 5-azacytidine, which together attack the enzyme and prevent cancer cells from flourishing. According to their study, tumors in mice who were given the drug combo were half the size of those in mice that received just one of the two drugs. The therapy also had similar effects in preventing the spread of leukemia. Researchers are forging ahead to make this new help for cancer patients a reality; talazoparib hasn’t yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration but but a similar drug targeting breast- and ovarian-cancer DNA enzymes is quickly moving forward. Drug therapy isn’t the only area where DNA is being explored. The National Institutes of Health is in the midst of recruiting 1 million Americans to participate in a comprehensive, pioneering study about the role of genetics and life style in health. The effort is part of the federal government’s “precision medicine” plan, which refers to tailoring medical treatments according to a person’s genetic makeup, with a special focus on cancer treatment. White House Office of Science and Technology Police associate...
Recent Comments