Archive for April, 2007
Study shows children less prone to false memories
In the 1980’s, a spate of high profile child abuse convictions gave way to heightened concern about false memory reports given by children. Take, for example, the case of Kelly Michaels, a preschool teacher who was convicted on 115 counts of sexual abuse based on the testimony of 20 of her pupils. After serving seven years of her 47 year sentence, Michaels’ conviction was overturned after the techniques used to interview the children were shown to be coercive and highly suggestive……..
Original post by Health news from medicineworld.org
No commentsThe Tungsten Nevada Leukemia Link
Tungsten began increasing in trees in Fallon, Nev. several years before the town’s rise in childhood leukemia cases, as per a new research report. The amount of tungsten in tree rings from Fallon quadrupled between 1990 and 2002, whereas the amount in tree rings from nearby towns remained the same, as per a research team led by Paul R. Sheppard of The University of Arizona’s Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research……..
Original post by Health news from medicineworld.org
No commentsPharmaceutical Compounds Found in Fresh Water
As per a research studyin the May/June 2007 issue of the journal Ground Water, pharmaceuticals are being found in septic tanks and, consequentially, ground water due to incomplete human metabolism and excretion into the waste stream or by disposal of unused medications in the toilet or down the sink……..
Original post by Health news from medicineworld.org
No commentsStudy finds receptor responsible for Herceptin’s poor anticancer response
Filed under: Breast Cancer, Drug, Research, Daily news, Cancer Survivors
Twenty to thirty percent of breast cancers over express a protein referred to as the human epidermal growth factor receptor, better known as HER2 over expression.
Herceptin is an agent that is targeted against the HER2 receptor and helps to slow or stop the spread of cancer cells that over express this protein. Unfortunately, some women that do have the over expression of HER2 on their breast cancer cells do not respond to treatment with Herceptin.
The Journal of the National Cancer Institute has published a report that says among breast cancer patients with HER2 over expressing cancer cells, those whose cells also express a receptor called p95HER2 have a poor anti-cancer response rate with Herceptin.
The study included forty seven women with metastatic breast cancer. All were treated with Herceptin. Nine of these patients also expressed the receptor p95HER2.
The results showed that only 11 percent of the women with the p95HER2 expression showed an anti-cancer response to Herceptin. Of the patients who did not express p95HER2 demonstrated a response of 51 percent. The report also showed that laboratory testing of cancer cells that do express p95HER2 demonstrated anti-cancer activity with a drug called Tykerb.
The researchers concluded that patients with HER2-over expressing breast cancer who also express p95HER2 appear to be more resistant to treatment with Herceptin and “may require alternative or additional anti-HER2-targeting strategies.” Patients with HER2-over expressing breast cancer may wish to speak with their physician regarding their individual risks and benefits of participating in a clinical trial further evaluating biologic markers that may help predict responses to certain therapies.
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Original post by Kristina Collins
No commentsToenail fungal drug can block angiogenesis
Filed under: Drug, All Cancers, Research, Daily news
Researchers at Johns Hopkins discovered that a drug commonly used to treat toenail fungus could block angiogenesis, blood vessels that feed a tumor.
The drug, itraconazole, is FDA approved for human use, which may fast-track its availability as an anti-cancer drug.
If you are interested in reading more about Angiogenesis and cancer growth you can read my post back in July.
The researchers at this point have yet to determine exactly how itraconazole works to stop vessel growth.
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Original post by Kristina Collins
No commentsPress Secretary Tony Snow returns to work
Filed under: Colon and Rectal Cancer, Celebrity cancer diagnosis, Daily news
Five weeks after doctors discovered that Tony Snow had a diagnoses of metastatic colon cancer — he is back at work.
I just watched a briefing by Mr. Snow. He seems very optimistic about his treatment plan. He will receive chemotherapy and then maintenance chemotherapy to try and keep the cancer at bay.
Tony advises anyone with cancer to “not go it alone”. He feels very supported by his colleges and family. He also stated that he feels very lucky and he has the gift of life and is going to make the most of it.
Mr. Snow was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2005 and has recently went through exploratory surgery to confirm his cancer recurrence. He did say that there are new chemotherapy drugs that were not available when he was first diagnosed, that he will be treated with at this time.
He seemed a bit choked up in the interview, but only because he is humbled by the love and support he has received.
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Original post by Kristina Collins
No commentsFind A Cure Stables
Filed under: Breast Cancer, Cancer events, Research, Events, Fundraisers
The horse is named after Dr. Larry Norton, Breast Cancer Research Foundation Scientific Director and Chairman of the Medical Advisory board, in a cute story. Suzie felt obligated not to use Dr. Norton’s first name when addressing him. However, he kept urging her to ‘Call me Larry’!
So the horse was named Call Me Larry in honor of Dr. Norton and to raise funds for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
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Original post by Kristina Collins
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