Month: August 2013
Mesothelioma Patients Encouraged to Take the Time to Celebrate Life
For every person, not just those impacted by mesothelioma, each day is a cause for celebration. It is a chance to do things that you enjoy and be with people that you love. I once heard someone say that each day is another chance to “get it right.” What a profound statement! God gives us such a beautiful world full of things that we take for granted on a daily basis. It’s time that we really celebrate life!
Throughout Dad’s journey with mesothelioma, every milestone has been celebrated in some way. When he arrived home from his surgery at NYU Langone he came to our house first. We were greeted with a full refrigerator, dinners, gifts and visitors. At his home, there were balloons, cards and visitors.
When his chemotherapy was finished, there were cards. At the end of his radiation treatment, there was a party (that was sort of foiled when Mom and Dad arrived home a day earlier than planned) with cake and family. Every day, no matter the situation, you can find something to celebrate!
They say that getting life changing news, such as a mesothelioma diagnosis, can make or break you. Don’t let it bring you down! Every trying situation is an opportunity to better yourself and to find a valuable lesson in it. ’m not saying that every single day of your life will be rainbows and sunshine, but there can be good found in every obstacle. Trust God, rely on your faith, and He will bring you through!
NC State Research Could Lead to New Method of Treatment for Mesothelioma
The science around microRNAs is in the news again after North Carolina State University researchers report they have discovered a way to identify cancerous cells that could lead to “new methods of disease detection and treatment.” This comes on the heels of a fast-tracked Australian mesothelioma clinical trial that manipulates microRNAs to treat the cancer.
microRNAs, or miRNAs, are tiny molecules found within cells that serve a function in primary biological processes such as organ development, fat metabolism, cell proliferation and death. When miRNAs function properly, a person remains healthy. However, “disregulation” of miRNAs can lead to diseases, including mesothelioma and other cancers.
Directing Cancer Treatment Through microRNAs
Although other researchers have conducted basic DNA mathematical computations in test tubes, NC State researchers set out to attempt DNA-based logic computations to detect the presence of specific microRNAs in living human cells. According to a press release from NC State University, by performing these Boolean computations, when two miRNAs are present in a cell, the scientists could direct the output to release a “fluorescent molecule.”
In practice, however, instead of creating a glowing cell, “we could attach therapeutic agents that are released to treat the disease itself,” said NC State chemist Alex Deiters and co-author of the study.
When two conditions are met, as shown by the result of an “AND” Boolean computation when two specific miRNAs are present indicating cancer, the result could be “to release a drug that could kill a cancer cell,” said James Hemphill, Deiters’ graduate student and co-author of the study, according to the News & Observer.
How Can This Benefit Mesothelioma Patients?
Mesothelioma, the signature cancer of asbestos exposure, is difficult to treat due to its aggressive nature which often fights off even the strongest of medicines. Although chemotherapy is the primary treatment modality for the cancer, it has shown to be chemo-resistant at times, eventually rendering the treatments ineffective. One way oncologists can combat resistance to treatments is to target them specifically to the person’s unique genetic characteristics and the unique characteristics of the mesothelioma.
Ricki Lewis, PhD, geneticist and author of The Forever Fix, said in an email interview, “Cancer isn’t just one disease, it is many, and even within the same patient, a cancer’s characteristics change over time.”
http://blogs.plos.org/dnascience
One reason cancer is dynamic is because of microRNAs. “microRNAs orchestrate the turning off of certain genes as a cancer grows, invades, and spreads,” said Ms. Lewis. In fact, due to their intricate role in gene regulation, many leading scientists refer to miRNAs as the “master maestros of the genome.”
When asked about the importance of NC State’s study for mesothelioma, Ms. Lewis said, “Detecting patterns of microRNA deployment and tagging them to delivery of a treatment would be a rational and personalized way to treat mesothelioma.”
Targeting therapy for mesothelioma patients optimizes the potential for success of the treatment and offers mesothelioma treatment options that may not otherwise have been considered. Close to 3,000 Americans are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year. There is no cure for the disease.
The NC State study can be found in the June 24 issue of the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
http://pubs.acs.org/action/cookieAbsent
NYU Langone Researchers Identify Biomarker to Target for New Mesothelioma Treatment
Internationally renowned mesothelioma expert Dr. Harvey Pass has dedicated his career to the treatment, research and advocacy of mesothelioma. He knows that the key to finding a new, effective treatment for mesothelioma requires extensive research focusing on specific genetic characteristics of the disease.
In the September issue of the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, Dr. Pass and a team of researchers from NYU Langone Medical Center reported that they did just that and identified a protein that was overexpressed in each of the malignant mesothelioma tumors tested.
The Ephrin type-B receptor 2 (EPHB2) protein, or genetic marker, according to the researchers, was significantly elevated in malignant pleural mesothelioma tumor tissue compared with matched normal peritoneum. The protein was not elevated in benign mesothelial cells. EPHB2 controls a variety of cellular processes including the process through which new blood vessels form from pre-existing vessels.
However, when additional blood vessels develop in cancer cells, more food and oxygen are supplied to the cancer cells causing them to grow. Mesothelioma, a fast-growing cancer caused by past asbestos exposure, has limited treatment options, and finding a way to stop metastasis, tumor growth, is critical to improving survival and quality of life in mesothelioma patients.
The study showed that “knockdown” of EPHB2 in mesothelioma cancer cells induced apoptosis, or cell death. This led the researchers to conclude that “targeting EPHB2 might provide a novel therapy to improve the prognosis in people suffering from malignant mesothelioma.”
Dr. Pass, Chief of Thoracic Oncology, NYU Cancer Center and Chief, Division of Thoracic Surgery, NYU Langone Medical Center, is a past winner of the Pioneer Award from the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation for his dedication to mesothelioma research.
“We need to believe in a cure. I do think it will happen,” said Dr. Pass upon receiving the Pioneer Award.
This project was partially funded through a grant from Belluck and Fox, LLP. Belluck & Fox, LLP, a nationally recognized New York law firm dedicated to advocacy for mesothelioma patients and their families, is a long-time supporter of Pass and his work. The NYU Langone Medical Center’s Cancer Institute previously purchased a highly advanced molecular analysis system for cancer research with funds donated by Belluck & FoxBelluck & Fox, LLP.
“We know Dr. Pass and his team are fighting for a cure for mesothelioma, and we hope our support will lead to better treatments and, one day, a cure for mesothelioma,” said Joseph Belluck, founding partner of Belluck & Fox, LLP.
Don Smitley Finds Comfort Spending Time with His Dog, Charley
I have mentioned my parents’ dog, Charley, in several posts. It’s time he got some attention! Charley is a five-year-old poodle-terrier mix who has become a light in Mom’s and Dad’s lives. He is sort of goofy (truth be told!) and always makes them laugh and smile.
The relationship between Dad and Charley is an interesting one. Throughout Dad’s mesothelioma, Charley has been his constant companion, never letting Dad out of his sight. He follows both Mom and Dad around the house. But once Mom leaves for work, they become a dynamic duo spending a lot of time playing, walking, watching TV, and napping in the recliner that they share.
Dogs tend to be a lot of company, and Charley is no exception. When you talk to him, he seems to understand every word that you say. So… we all find ourselves carrying on conversations with him from time to time.
He also seems to sense when you’re not feeling your best. Charley is usually pretty hyper, jumping on your lap and demanding attention. It was interesting that when Dad returned from his pleurectomy last February, Charley was extremely gentle and spent a lot of time just resting with him.
My husband and I also have a dog, Gus. He’s been a great source of comfort for us as well, always bringing happiness to our lives. Put Gus and Charley together, and you have a comedy show!
These animals are just one more aspect of our lives that we have to be thankful for. God works in mysterious ways; maybe he brought us our dogs to make us smile and realize that maybe laughter is the best medicine after all!
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